GHOST hunters are trying to unravel the secrets of haunted Swindon.

Dave Wood and his team of paranormal investigators visited the Jolly Tar pub in Hannington on Sunday to try and find an explanation behind some mysterious sightings.

Dave said: "Two unusual figures have been reported in the public bar, who looked out of place. One, a man, was seen walking out of the fireplace in the main bar. Another figure, a lady was seen, and then not seen a split second later.

"There have also been reports of kinetic activity like flying beermats and coins flying around."

Dave said the poltergeist-type reports could be down to lorries driving past on the main road or even seismic activity.

The Paranormal Site Investigators have conducted experiments to try and establish scientific causes behind mysteries in the Swindon area for the past two years, and were previously based in Devon.

Dave said 99 per cent of the apparent hauntings he investigated turned out to be easily explained, but there were some that PSI's 800 members, some leading scientists at universities across the country, could not understand.

"One time we had rocks and stones thrown at us at a location in Devon," he said. "The investigation into what happened there is still on going, but so far it is a mystery," said Dave.

After being told about reports of a ghost, Dave carries out a number of tests. On one occasion he said people had heard an intermittent noise along with hauntings, but by simply recording the sound it was revealed to be a constant note that witnesses' brains had blocked out.

"They only heard it in connection with other phenomenon which couldn't be explained, so all together created a very subjective picture of something that wasn't there."

Dave, who is also a Liberal Democrat councillor in Eastcott ward on Swindon Council, described himself as an open-minded sceptic.

"I don't go into a situation trying to disprove it, but I do try to apply rational science based on objective evidence."

He and his team will spend several weeks analysing the results of their findings at the Hannington pub before they can work out exactly what is causing the mystery.

The Swindon-based PSI are hoping to focus on more paranormal activity in and around the town.

Anyone who has witnessed anything unusual, or who thinks their home or business may be haunted is urged to visit www.p-s-i.org.uk or call Dave on 01793 336216.

Odd happenings

HAUNTINGS and eerie sightings have been rumoured at a number of places around Swindon.

For generations there have been reports of a lone figure standing near a yew tree in the grounds of St John the Baptist and St Helen church in Wroughton.

The Ship Hotel in Kingshill has been rumoured to have six ghosts and the church organ at St Sampson's has been heard playing on several occasions while the church is locked and even in the Parish Rooms where there are no musical instruments at all.

Paranormal activity is supposed to centre around the road from Holy Cross church to the village of Hodson. The Red Lion pub in the centre of the 4,000-year-old stone circle in Avebury has been the centre of ghost stories for centuries.