14486/4SPIRITS in the cellar are no joke at the Black Swan Hotel in Devizes Market Place, which has been nominated as one of six contenders for the title of the UK's most haunted pub.

Richard Jones, a recognised expert on Britain's haunted pubs, was in town yesterday for judging the award, which will be announced by Strongbow at Halloween.

He has visited 12 pubs across the country, short-listed from 350 entries, to come up with the six serious contenders for the top prize.

Mr Jones told the Gazette: "The Black Swan meets the criteria all the way along the line. It has the stories, it has the legends and paranormal experiences are still being reported here all the time.

"The most recent paranormal activity started after some brickwork was removed in the cellar. There is a story that someone was murdered and their body buried down there."

Landlady Pam Lugg said: "It is quite frightening. I'm a bit concerned that the entity, whatever it is, will begin to know me and I might end up being possessed."

The pub offers an all-night cellar vigil including the use of infra-red cameras, dousing rods, and a meter for measuring electro-magnetic fields for serious enthusiasts.