TO MARK the spookiest day of the year, volunteers and past visitors shared their scariest tales about Gwrych Castle.

The sprawling castle near Abergele, which is playing host this year to I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! is said to be haunted and there have been alleged 'ghost encounters' over the years.

One volunteer, known as Chris, recalls hearing footsteps during November 1994.

He said: "James and I were checking that the castle was secure. We would check the gates and fences, making sure all the padlocks were on and that all was quiet.

"We were standing in what was previously the bar with the paintings in it and we heard footsteps. Thinking someone was in the building with us we thought we had better investigate.

"We stood momentarily to figure out where the footsteps were coming from, and realising they were coming straight towards us from the banqueting hall. We were expecting the mystery figure to appear round the corner but no one ever appeared.

"Searching around the castle we couldn’t find anyone.

"This scared us so much we didn't go back inside for a few weeks."

A man, known only as Pete from Norfolk, was visiting North Wales in 2001 when he visited Gwrych Castle with his partner Carol and snapped an 'unexplainable' image.

He said: "The picture was taken above and behind the castle. On climbing up towards the top of this structure, I stopped for an unknown reason and looked back. At this point Carol took a picture of which she cannot remember doing.

"The result amazed us both. A few feet in front of Carol was a mysterious white swirling form, which we could only surmise as being a ghost or spirit of some kind - it even appeared to have a head.

"I feel the photograph speaks for itself, we just wish we knew more of this white spectre.”

The castle has published details of their ghost hunts for 2022. Each investigation is hosted by the site's professional in-house team.

After a talk, participants will be divided into smaller groups and vigils will take place in and around the castle using a range of paranormal equipment; including dowsing rods and K2 meters.

Visit www.gwrychcastle.co.uk and click events. The site is currently closed to the public.