Ghostbusters on hunt for 'Walter', the spirit haunting a Shropshire pub
One former landlord has outstayed his welcome at a Shropshire pub – and has been causing chaos for the new managers.
Walter the ghost is said to have been haunting the Boycott Arms in Claverley for many years, and now a paranormal investigation team has been hired to find out what – or who – he wants.
Ben Triance, who has managed the pub for the last 15 months, said he had always been sceptical about ghosts.
But he said: "In the months that I've been here I've seen some unexplainable things.
"One night last summer I went to bed, then woke up about 20 minutes later absolutely freezing cold.
"I could even see my breath – then I woke up again an hour later and my throat was swollen.
"I went to the shower room and there were finger marks around my throat.
"I was the only person staying here that night."
The father-of-two said other unexplainable events regularly occur including the shower door flinging open at least once a week when he walks past.
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Mr Triance said: "Two weeks ago I was putting the menus out on the tables and my partner Vickie came in and said she had heard someone whistling in the disabled toilet.
"We went to look, came back and all the menus were in a neat little pile in the middle of the floor. We've also been sat at our table and a glass has just flown off it, the staff have seen it too not just me.
"While I was in the toilet one day I heard tapping on the window, I thought it was one of the staff messing about but no one was outside when I went to look."
Mr Triance explained his three-year-old daughter Freya smiles and chats to a man who she says has a smiley face.
He said: "There have been other kids too who have been in the bar looking through at the dining area and have started screaming for no reason."
Mr Triance said: "I'm a sceptic, I didn't believe it but now I can't explain some of this stuff that has been happening."
Mr Triance has hired paranormal investigators Energies and Entities to look into the history of the pub and its resident ghost. The event will take place on August 6 from 8pm.
He said they have information dating back 200 years and there used to be a landlord who was also the local sheriff and is apparently one of the ghosts. There has also been tales of a female ghost called Scotch Mary who also used to be a landlady.
Mr Triance said: "Walter is the one name that always comes up when people talk about this place."
