A Darlington mother was shocked and stunned after discovering a ghostly figure in a photograph taken during a family trip to the theatre for a live Peppa Pig show.

Kirsty Ward was capturing an “innocent” picture of her two sons during a family outing to the Darlington Hippodrome. But upon reviewing the photo at home, she noticed something unsettling in the background.

Despite no one being seated in the row behind her children, the image appeared to show a mysterious, featureless figure in the background.

Kirsty Ward's boys with the ghostly image behind themKirsty Ward's boys with the ghostly image behind them (Image: Kirsty Ward)

The chilling discovery has sparked intrigue online, after she posted it in the Supernatural Darlington group on Facebook, with many speculating whether the theatre is haunted.

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“I can’t believe it,” said Kirsty. “To me, there is literally no other explanation. I haven’t seen anything like this in my life.

“The reaction online has been crazy; I’ve been overwhelmed with responses. We’ve even had the person who was sitting next to us comment and confirm that she also never saw anyone behind our seats.

“We can’t wait to go back; it definitely hasn’t put us off going there at all- we’ll be back for the Christmas Pantomime!”

The Darlington Hippodrome, a Grade II-listed building with over a century of history, has long been associated with supernatural rumours and spooky shenanigans.

Read more: Has Darlington Hippodrome revamp finally laid the ghost of Signor Rino Pepi to rest?

On Facebook, the post by the Hippodrome has over 645 reactions with many taking to the comments to explain their own supernatural experiences whilst at the Hippodrome.

The ghostly sighting coincidentally has come whilst Ghost- The Musical is in the building, adding an extra layer of mystery to the event.

A spokesperson for Darlington Hippodrome said: "It appears we had an unexpected guest last weekend - an audience member caught what may be a ghost on camera!

"When taking a picture of her sons, the photographer noticed something peculiar behind them in the photo.

"Nobody was sat in that row, and she didn't see anything while shooting, but this spectral anomaly apparated in the image.

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"Darlington Hippodrome is said to be haunted, with many members of staff and theatergoers alike experiencing paranormal events.

"We promise, it's just a coincidence we have Ghost - The Musical on stage this week!"

Whether this is a case of a camera glitch, or a genuine paranormal encounter remains unclear, but one thing is certain: Darlington Hippodrome continues to captivate audiences in more than one way.