Residents haunted by ghost-hunter influx fears

Villagers fear a new celebrity television programme will bring hordes of ghost-hunters to their doorsteps.

Residents in Pluckley say they have been cursed by the village’s reputation and plagued by ghosthunters keeping them up into the early hours.

They are so fed up that they have asked police to provide extra patrols on Halloween itself.

Now this year their nightmares have been made worse by the news that W television, part of UKTV, will be filming five days of Celebrity Haunted Hotel Live.

The show will see celebrities braving a Blair Witch-style programme and is being filmed in the old oasthouse at Elvey Farm Country Hotel.

The show will be hosted by Christine Lampard but Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Martin Chambers is concerned about the programme’s arrival.

Mr Chambers said: “We haven’t had any police incidents, but in the past we’ve had ghost-hunters coming to the village and scaring themselves witless in the woods or in the churchyard.

“It’s not just at Halloween either, it tends to continue in the weeks running up to and following on from the night, with people shouting and screaming at two o’clock in the morning.

“The concern is that on top of those we normally get, the television will describe how we’re the most haunted village in England which will bring in extra ghosthunters.”

His concerns have been echoed by parish councillors, and chairman Chris Housman said the parish council tries to dampen some of the publicity surrounding the village’s haunted status.

Mr Housman said: “We do ask the police to maintain a presence at Halloween, and it’s on my list of things to do this week.

“The hotel is tucked away, and the television company has brought in some of its own security staff, but if it features Pluckley then it might encourage more people to turn up.

“Everyone knows the reputation the village has, but we are just worried of the effect it has upon our residents’ lives.

“There is nothing we can do to change that reputation.

“A lot of people come for a few drinks in the pub and have fun, and that is fine, but there is always an element that takes it too far.”

The programme is set to air between Thursday, October 27 and Monday, October 31.

UKTV had not responded to our requests for a comment as the Kentish Express went to press yesterday (Wednesday).

‘We’ve had ghosthunters scaring themselves witless in the woods’