Visions of terror this Halloween

No, Jeremy Kyle is not bringing a touring version of his show to Salisbury, and no Judy Murray hasn't won Strictly.

It is All Hallows' Eve. And there are Mr Kipling's Fiendish Fancies and inexplicably Halloween-packaged Richmond sausages in the shops to prove it.

I have always loved a bit of spooky campery, but this year I have turned my attentions to the history books for a bit of inspiration.

Of course by 'history books' I mean 'Google', but my findings have given me a desire to undertake some sort of haunted Salisbury tour.

Sadly, an official ghost walk is not possible as they were stopped at the end of September – I feel like they missed a trick there – so I'm going to fashion my own, based on my recent findings.

I knew about The Haunch of Venison's mummified hand, but not about the ghost of the white lady.

Draw closer… So, towards the end of the 19th century, a mother sent her son to the pub for bottles of ale, but he never came home.

In the days that followed she would check in the pub and walk the surrounding streets in search of him, and soon afterwards she passed away herself.

However, so the story goes, what she started in life, she continues in death - and she has never stopped searching… She has apparently been seen by many customers of the Haunch over the years, and former cleaner Dave encountered her so many times that when a new manager first saw her, his words were simply: “She probably just came to say hello.”

The stories do not stop there.

The Rai d'or apparently has five ghosts, and there are suitably chilling tales linked to the Salisbury gallows that stood at the junction of Wilton Road and Devizes Road, the old gaol on Fisherton Street, and the haunted waiting room at the train station.

I will say no more, as these things are best left to be stumbled upon for yourselves on a dark and unusual cold October eve.