SPOOKY nights are to be the theme of a new fund-raising campaign spearheaded by a Rambottom dad.

Gareth Ford-Williams, 34, whose four-year-old son Zak has cerebral palsy is the driving force behind a number of fund-raising projects.

He is a volunteer at Chorley's Rainbow House where Zak goes for specialist therapy who is always looking for ways to help the charity.

And his most recent venture is the Spooky Night theme events at Cumbria's haunted Muncaster Castle.

The idea invites daredevils to raise sponsorship and spend half an hour on their own in the castle's most haunted room.

Organisers take participants on a tour of the eerie castle before a three-course meal is served in preparation of entering the allegedly haunted tapestry room.

Gareth said: "We wanted to come up with an idea that is a bit out of the ordinary. Anybody can jump out of an aeroplane or do something wacky like that but this idea takes fright to another level.

"Muncaster Castle is notorious for being haunted. Things have happened in the tapestry room that can't be explained. One person heard music coming for the distance, another instance was when the door kept coming open.

"Mobile phones don't work at the castle which makes it even more like something you would expect in a horror film but we are prepared for every eventuality, we have people on call and have a radio in case anybody gets overwhelmed with anything that is going on and wants to go home."

The Spooky Nights cost £65 per person and £120 raised in sponsorship money is required to be donated to Rainbow House.

The event includes evening meal, bed and breakfast, a tour of the castle and half an hour in the tapestry room.

Groups of six to eight people can take part at any one time. For more information contact Gareth on 07976 925122.