Christmas ghost waking up again.
Licensee Paul Harris turned a ghastly shade of pale when he heard banging and bumping downstairs in his pub near Bridgnorth. The midnight manifestation was the latest act of the ghost of Christmas past which 24-year-old Mr Harris has discovered in the Black Lion pub in Hilton, Bridgnorth. Even Duke the dog has seen the spook.
The creepy happenings have come as a shock to Wolverhampton businessman Phil Rhead who bought the pub two months ago. Now he is considering calling in a vicar to exorcise the spirits from the place, which is made up of converted 17th century cottages.
“It all started about two or three weeks ago,” Mr Harris said at the weekend. “We hear glass breaking when nothing has happened. This morning there was a lot of banging downstairs, but the dog did not bark, nor was there any sign of anyone having been in the place. Things disappear and then reappear mysteriously. I’m getting quite edgy about it now. The locals tell us that this often starts to happen at this time of year. It must be some kind of poltergeist.”
Mr Rhead said: “We knew nothing about it when we bought the place. But it has not done us any serious harm yet.”
Shropshire Star, 21st December 1987.