Veteran journalist John Ware who hung up his pen last year, recounts some of the more memorable stories he covered during 60 years on the Teignbridge beat for locals and nationals.

BACK in the autumn of 1977 the strange spooky goings on at a Teignmouth restaurant made headlines.

And they were all claimed to be linked to the discovery of an ancient wreck just offshore.

Under the strap Devon Ships’ Spirits Create Nervous Wrecks, one account declared: ‘Ghostly figures have appeared, candles have gone out for no apparent reason, and at the weekend a large stone mysteriously flew across the dining room.

‘Staff have been terrified to the point of hysteria and customers complained of an uncomfortable chilling atmosphere at time.

‘It is all proving something of a headache for John Mole, one of the proprietors of the seafront Clifton Cellars. who has called in a woman medium to try to discover what is behind it.

‘She has already paid one visit and confirmed the presence of spirits from a bygone age. Now a seance is being arranged in the hope the ghosts will reveal exactly what is troubling them.

‘The basement restaurant dates back to 1435. When it was converted about two years ago, an old tunnel running about a mile under the town was uncovered.

‘John said he had never seen any ghosts, and had an open mind on the subject, but had felt a strange atmosphere on occasions.

‘A large number of different people, all of them perfectly normal have reported seeing outlines of figures here, so I suppose there must be something in it.

‘The main figures appear to be a boy of about 16 dressed in shabby clothes, with bare feet, and a chap aged about 60 with long curly hair.

‘One young waitress we had in the summer was so frightened by it one night that she ran into the kitchen and left right away. Both my wife and mother have also seen similar things and neither of them would come down here at night on their own.

‘The goings on seemed to get worse when they started uncovering the relics from the 16th century wreck which is only about 300 yards from the restaurant.

‘That appeared to really upset the ghosts and now they are turning a bit naughty. Whether they come from the wreck and do not want to be disturbed, I do not know. But I am convinced there is some kind of connection.

‘I brought the diving team working on the site in and gave them refreshments because they had been at it all day, and suddenly a chunk of sandstone hurtled across the room and smashed into the wall near the divers, with a loud crash. Nobody in the room threw it and I could not find anywhere it might have dropped from.

‘Perhaps the ghosts were showing their anger at the divers. I just do not know. I used to think that talk of ghosts was something of a joke, but not any longer.

‘I am not sure we should delve too deeply into it all, but I am really curious to know what it is all about, and I am hoping the medium can find the answer.

She has already told me the ghosts are basically friendly, but have been upset by something.