BURY'S East Lancashire Railway maybe one of the most haunted places in Manchester.

The heritage attraction which runs through 12 miles of the Irwell Valley is thought to be home to some of the region's scariest spooks and ghost stories.

The most famous of these is "Billy the Guard", who is said to stalk the waiting room between platforms three and four at Bury's Bolton Street Station.

Billy is often spotted by visitors dozing in a waiting room chair.

On one occasion a visitor walking past in the evening saw a sleeping man, seated in his overalls.

The door was open a crack, but when he went to shut the door there was a very sharp cold, breeze and the door suddenly slammed shut.

In his surprise the man jumped, but when he turned around the man had disappeared.

Billy has also turned up in several visitor's photos when he was again asleep in his uniform.

Another infamously haunted site is the Castlecroft Goods Shed, which dates from 1848.

Now home to the ELR Transport Museum, the shed is regularly used for paranormal investigations.

Kate Walker, ELR's Marketing Manager, said: “There have been so many stories collected down the years about unexplained sightings and noises around the platforms and on our trains. Maybe it’s to do with them being so old, but when you investigate, it seems that there are too many occurrences for it to be just a coincidence.”

The ELR will run a series of Halloween Ghost Trains, four times daily, on October 26, 27, and 31.

For tickets and more information visit eastlancsrailway.org.uk.