MEMBERS of a ghost-hunting group from Ellesmere Port spent a weekend tracking down a set of talkative spooks at a pub in Birkenhead.

Whisky and gin are apparently not the only spirits at the Worsley Arms, for staff there reckon there have been some odd occurrences over the years.

So they have been more than willing to let members of the Supernatural Encounters Association (SAE) carry out a series of all-night vigils on the premises to see if they could pin down any of the spectral regulars.

The first of these took place in September when a tape machine set up in a top-floor corridor picked up what SAE believes is a voice saying 'goodnight' after the sound of a camera is heard clicking and winding forward.

On the same occasion a camcorder placed in an empty room apparently captured a voice declaring something like: 'They can't deceive her!'

Excited about the results, SAE researchers went back to the pub one Sunday a couple of weeks ago to mount a vigil between 1-7pm.

On playing back some of the tapes they made, group members claim to have picked up more voices which weren't heard by anybody at the time.

They say there also appeared to be knocking in reply to questions asked.

The team held four 45-minute sessions and are now convinced spirits were trying to communicate with them.

A spokesman said: 'We think there could be a different entities coming through words spoken by them are not consistent with questions.

'We are sending the tapes off to be analysed to verify our findings.'

SAE says it would like to hear from any members of the public who are aware of hauntings.

The group has a new website at www.j.s.griffin.btinternet.co.uk and can be contacted on (0151) 201 5808 or 01244 851742. Its e-mail address is mikemcmanus@freeuk.com