Book excerpt: From heart-stopping accounts of apparitions, manifestations and supernatural phenomena to first-hand encounters with phantoms, spirits and ghouls, this collection of spooky sightings from around Hartlepool and East Durham is guaranteed to make your blood run cold. The sweep of East Durham's mining landscape is host to countless spectres, while in Hartlepool – where legends are a part of the town's very fabric – ghostly goings-on have been reported at houses, clubs, schools, roads, ships and even a former airport. Pubs figure widely, and one local brewery is a veritable hive of paranormal activity. With tales of historical ghosts to modern hauntings, many investigated by the author himself whilst a journalist for the Hartlepool Mail, this book offers a unique glimpse into the ghostly legacy of the region's past that is sure to appeal to anyone interested in a spot of ghost hunting. So draw the curtains, dim the lights, choose your favourite chair and immerse yourself in a journey into the realms of the unfathomable.