New books: Woman's spooky novel inspired by ghostly goings on in her Calderdale home

Prudence Jupe has written Whisper Down the Cobbles – a tale set in the Calder Valley of bewitching and mysterious hauntings, seances and exorcisms.

She said: "When my family and I came to live in Heptonstall, we purchased a converted barn.

"We loved the house. However soon after moving in, we discovered that all was not well.

"There were some strange ‘happenings’ that simply could not be explained.

"One by one, electrical items kept malfunctioning then mysteriously started working again. It always seemed to be at the most inconvenient moment.

"Before becoming an RAF pilot, my husband had been trained in the army as an electrician and he tested the circuits around the house - but much to our puzzlement, all was working as it should.

"Our normally quiet little Jack Russell became inexplicably nervous at times and would not go near a glass trap door under the table, and whined and barked at it for no reason .

"Soon after we moved into the barn, my husband left the RAF had to go to Sweden to retrain as an airline pilot, leaving me alone in the house.

"Although normally a pragmatic and down to earth, pretty fearless barrister, I started to feel anxious alone at times in our house, as if someone was watching me.

"One night, when my husband was on leave from his training, we both awoke suddenly - we saw a misty but distinct tall dark figure who seemed to be wearing a hat silhouetted against the open doorway.

"We stayed stock still, frozen with fear. The figure glided towards the bottom of our bed and sat down. We could feel the bed sink down with it’s weight.

"It then lay down and we could feel it’s weight pressing down - the sense of evil was palpable - we both continued to be frozen in fear.

"I started to pray - for the thing to be gone, that’s all I could think of - and I don’t know what exactly happened but I think I fainted.

"When I came round, the ‘thing’ was gone.

"There were other inexplicable happenings too, and I found out from the vendor with whom we have kept in contact that he too had experienced something similar, though he hadn’t been afraid.

"We eventually asked the vicar of Heptonstall Church to come and help us as we were not prepared to put up with this situation, and it didn’t feel safe for our children.

"He was lovely. He came and prayed around the house and sprinkled holy water in each room. The problems largely abated. We eventually had to move house due to my husband getting a job at Manchester Airport.

"It was due to these creepy experiences and our making friends with some of the wonderful folk of Heptonstall that I was inspired to write my first novel.”

A launch for the book is taking place tomorrow (Saturday, January 28) The Yorkshire Chocolate Company on Bridge Gate in Hebden Bridge between 2pm and 4.30pm.