FANS of things which go bump in the night will be interested in a haunting new book recounting tales of spooks and spectres that residents have claimed occupy Redditch.

prepares for the Halloween launch of Anne Bradford's new spooky book.

Town author Anne Bradford will launch Ghosts, Murders and Scandals on Monday - Halloween.

It features numerous tales of supernatural events, with many in Redditch and the A435 between Studley and Alcester.

Redditch's British Heart Foundation shop in Market Place features in one chapter.

Staff say they have been hit by objects flying off shelves, mysterious footsteps are heard, a CD player turns itself off and on, items are taken off shelves in the middle of the night and many old objects due to be sold completely vanish.

Perhaps the most unusual incident was when a woman knocked a bookshelf while pushing a pram through the shop.

A book about the Falklands War fell to the floor, open at a page featuring a photograph.

A man who entered the shop behind the woman looked down and realised it was him in the photo when he had been serving in the Falklands.

He had never seen the book before and certainly did not know his photo had been included in any book.

Manager Pauline Thorne said: "Although we don't like being here on our own we're not particularly bothered by the activity as long as it doesn't get worse.

"But we'd like to know what we're dealing with."

Also included in the book is a haunted house in Forge Mill Road, various monk-like spectres seen around the town and spooky goings-on in the Kingfisher Centre when it was being built.

Ghosts, Murders and Scandals, illustrated by Glenn James, will be available after Monday from all good bookshops, including Parchment Books, Alcester, priced £7.50.