Ghoulish mysteries, bloodthirsty murders and crazy characters are to be revealed in two spine-chilling volumes by amateur historian and ghost-hunter, Malcolm Hanson.

He has been commissioned by publisher, The History Press, to write about the dark secrets from Keighley’s Victorian heritage and spooky stories from Skipton’s medieval forebears.

The national publisher was won over when they recently saw Mr Hanson’s first self-published book, Keighley’s Darkest Secrets.

He is now embarking on a new 30,000-word paperback version with illustrations and at the same time working to produce a 15,000-word volume based on his Skipton ghost walks, aimed at the tourist trade. He said: “I was staggered when the company came back and said how impressed they were with the book and actually commissioned me to expand on it.

“It’s very exciting – they feel it will sell well. I can see the potential to take the same idea to other towns and cities like Bradford and Scarborough, Brighton, Bristol – you name it.”

The book will include new stories but also he intends revisiting some of the classic tales from the previous publication, such as of Old Three Laps – a jilted lover who took to his bed in 1807, when his bride left him at the altar, and never got up again until they removed his corpse 49 years later.

Mr Hanson will also tell the gruesome tale of Mary McGowen, killed by her drunken husband on Christmas Eve 1881 in her squalid basement home.

Mr Hanson of Skipton, will be running a series of ghost walks at Halloween in Skipton and among the scary locations will be Pepper’s Pantry in Sheep Street.

He has recently been spending time in the ancient attic of the building taking in the ghostly vibes.

The owner Samantha Wellington-Clark said: “When we first moved in we often felt a stange coldness in the stairs and the door to the attic kept opening without anybody being there. Then the local traffic warden asked us if we knew the building was haunted.

“I’m unphased by it but some members of staff have been scared witless.”

Mr Hanson is to start his Halloween walks later this month from Pepper’s Pantry, setting out from there to visit other spooky places in the town centre.

l Halloween Walks Friday and Saturday October 31/November 1. 5.30pm: Children’s ghost walk - £2.50 children £3.50 adults. 7.30pm. Mid evening ghost walk following Halloween dinner at Pepper’s Pantry. Telephone 07836 228859. 9.30pm: Late night horror walk. Drinks at Pepper’s Pantry followed by the walk and a pie and pea supper back at the café. £7.