GHOSTLY tours of some of the spookiest spots in Westbury promise to make this Hallowe'en the scariest yet.

Michelle Slade, who has written two books about creepy goings-on in the town, is organising a one-off ghost tour on October 31, while Alan and Jane Hunt, who own the haunted Ivy House in Church Street, are opening their home to the public.

Town councillor Mrs Slade, who has organised successful ghost walks in the past, said: "I'm not a clairvoyant. I'm just fascinated by people's experiences and the history. It's an interest which is more scientific than spiritual.

"I tell real-life stories about ghosts and folk tales. There are hundreds of ghost stories around Westbury so I have to be selective."

After meeting in the Market Place to hear tales of history and folklore, visitors will journey through the churchyard and High Street where they will hear about a murder in Heywood House and stories about ghosts in the Angel Inn and flats, Black Dog Woods and the swimming pool.

The tour ends in the Horse and Groom pub, where the skittles room was used as an emergency morgue in the Second World War.

Later in the week visitors will have the chance to have a look around Ivy House, which is believed to be haunted by two ghosts.

Owner Mr Hunt said: "We haven't met the ghosts but what is really uncanny is we get visitors from far flung parts of the world who've not read any stories about ghosts here, telling us the same thing.

"They go into a certain room and feel a presence of a benign female ghost, who was about 40 when she died. They get a really strong physical reaction and their body temperature changes."

Mr Hunt said three unconnected people had reported the same story and professional ghost experts have also visited the home, which features in Mrs Slade's books.

The house was built in medieval times and extended in 1780. A large set of rosary beads and a crucifix has hung on the back of an attic bedroom door for more than a century to ward off spirits.

Mrs Slade's ghost tour starts at 7pm in the Market Place on Hallowe'en. Tickets are £2 for adults, £1 for children, or 50p for children in fancy dress. Contact michelleslade@wiltshire.gov.uk or (07731) 961037. The tours of Ivy House are on October 27 at 2pm and November 4 at 11am. Tickets are £5, include tour, talk, tea and cake and must be booked in advance on alanhunt@blueyonder.co.uk or (01373) 822640. Money will go towards a Chernobyl charity.