An evening of village ghosts, witches and bloody murders

This October 31, Simon will be regaling gruesome tales from the Ribble Valley at Hurst Green Village Hall.

He said: “It’s a large hall that can hold 300 to 400.

“In the last couple of years the weather on Halloween has been atrocious, so we decided to hold the storytelling inside, where I have the luxury of knowing the rain isn’t going to disturb me.”

Simon will bring fascinating tales to life, including those connected to nearby Stonyhurst College, where Tolkein wrote Lord of the Rings.

He will also tell stories of the Pendle Witches, and that of Mary Holden from Hurst Green, who was the last woman in the country to be executed at Lancaster Castle.

Simon, who has done work for the Discovery Channel, gave up his job in local government three years ago to pursue storytelling as a career.

He said: “I took a leap of faith, but it’s paid off and I love doing it.

“It’s great to see audiences completely silent and mesmerised by these true tales.”

The tales are suitable for children aged 10 and above, who must be accompanied by an adult.

There will be two sessions on the night. The first runs at 7pm and the second from 8.30pm.

Tickets are £6. Call Simon Foster on 07530045365.