HALLOWEEN is nearly upon us once again, and I found it a pleasure to read Stuart Arnold’s article about the region’s haunted pubs (Echo, Oct 5).

I’ve attended two ghost hunts at The Busby Stoop, near Thirsk, with Northern Ghost Investigations. I saw a dark figure standing in the corner.

The Boot And Shoe pub, in Darlington, is another haunted drinking dwelling, and when a band called Skaville UK came to perform at The Forum Music Centre four years ago, we booked them to stay there that evening.

The guitarist, Louis Alphonso, mentioned that he was locked inside his room during the afternoon, which did seem odd, as he had not locked the door himself and all the staff were busy serving customers downstairs in the bar.

Thankfully, the ska musicians never mentioned meeting the spectre of a man who wanders around the pub in a leather apron.

Christopher Wardell, Darlington.