Landlord says he lives in Pontefract’s most haunted pub

Ian and two staff members have spoken of a number of unexplained events at the Samuel Smith's pub in Pontefract town centre's historic Wool Market.

Ian, a former freight train driver, has worked at the Windmill for 14 months and has been landlord since March 31

Ian, who lives alone at the pub, said: "This place is so haunted it's ridiculous.

"On at least four occasions I have been behind the bar and above us we can hear stomping on the corridor upstairs. We have gone upstairs and there's nobody there.

"This is been over the last 10 months during the day. I have heard it at least four or five times.”

he said the most frightening incident happened around seven weeks ago in the early hours when he was alone upstairs.

He said: " I was in bed and something got hold of me and I couldn't move.

"I literally couldn't move my hands or anything. I was paralysed and could not move for about five minutes. I was frightened."

Ian said he has also heard footsteps outside his bedroom, but saw no-one.

He said: "A week after that I was in bed at 8am and I could hear a child laughing and it and it woke me up. It frightened me to death." He said he was alone in the pub at the time.

Ian said a friend who has stayed let the pub has also been pinned down while in bed.

Ian said: Two weeks ago I did a bit of a casserole for the regulars for free to feed them on a Sunday.

"It was 2pm in the afternoon. I had a dish with a ladle in on a table It flipped up in the air and spun around and fell on the floor."

Bar worker Gail Ashton said: "Around 10 months ago I was doing a late shift and it was quiet.

" I heard banging upstairs like someone was walking about. I knew there was nobody in. the landlady went up and there was no one there.

"I stopped working nights. I won't work nights now because of that so I just do day shifts."

Bar worker Claire Greenberg said: It was a Thursday night around four weeks ago. Me and Ian were sat in the pool room.

"There was no one else about because it was about 10pm and we were about to close. We could hear glasses clinking together but it was coming from the back of the pub.

"We went into the back room to see if there was anyone in there but there was no one about. I was scared. I'm glad Ian was with me.”

Claire added: " I have heard footsteps. you can hear running down the corridor. I have heard that quite a few times. it's near enough every night shift there's no one in there, there's no one upstairs

Ian said despite the spooky happenings he plans to stay at the Windmill for many years

He said: "It's brilliant. I love it. I have got new customers coming in and old customers coming back.

“I'm Pontefract born and bred, everybody knows me. I Love Pontefract. I's a fantastic place. The people are so nice, everyone is friendly."