SPOOKY fun will be available at Smithills Hall long after Halloween.

Ghost tours of the historic house will be available on November 7 and 14, after the Halloween event sold out.

The tours are led by a guide from the Friends of Smithills Hall, who will talk guests through the hall’s gory history.

The most famous “ghost” story revolves around George Marsh’s footprint, made in 1554.

Legend has it that Marsh, as he was being led away from Robert Barton, the estate’s owner, after being accused of heresy, stamped on the flagstone, leaving an imprint.

Marsh was burned at the stake the following year and the Green Room at Smithills Hall is considered the most haunted, said to run with blood every year on April 24, the anniversary of Marsh’s death.

Guests have reported sightings of George Marsh at the top of stairs and outside doors.

The November 7 tour is a “Casper Tour”, aimed at young people, with tickets priced at £4 for the 6.30pm tour.

A week later, an over-16s tour is on offer, which will explore the hall’s ghostly past in even more eerie detail.

Booking ahead for the tours is essentia. Call 01204 332377.

  • For interactive Halloween fun using your mobile phone or tablet, make sure you get your copy of Thursday’s special Bolton News.