Residents and visitors in Abbotskerswell could be in for a ghostly encounter this Halloween thanks to a local crafter.

Kathy O’Neill has made around 60 ghost stickers that she has hidden around the village as part of an international random acts of kindness initiative called The Great Global Ghost Hunt.

The idea is for people to create and hide handmade ghosts in different parts of the world to bring a little cheer to the people who find them. Finders can either keep the ghosts or re-hide them.

Ghosts can be made from anything, and each one comes with a note that reads: ‘Now you’ve found me take me home! A little ghost to call your own!’ The notes encourage the finder to post their ghost to The Great Global Ghost Hunt Facebook group and Instagram and to use the hashgtag #thegreatglobalghosthunt.

The Great Global Ghost Hunt started back in 2021 by two Brits: Kate Paxton and Phil Hilton. The idea soon took off and spread across the world. The Facebook group now has more than 2,500 members, while the Instagram account has 423 followers.

Kathy got involved after she discovered the Facebook group and decided to join in the fun. ‘I just through it was a good way to use my crafting skills,’ she said.

She has previously hidden handcrafted ghost magnets around the village.

As well as Kathy’s Abbotskerswell ghosts, over the years there have been finds in Ipplepen and Decoy Park in Newton Abbot.

Recent finds posted on The Great Global Ghost Hunt Facebook page include: keyrings and stickers found at Alton Towers, in York and in Whitby; a ghost pin badge found in Stockport; a bracelet found in York; and a keyring found in Lincoln.