Hallowe’en is fast approaching so what better way to spend the spooky season than by going along to a series of events hosted by Royston’s resident ghost hunter Damien O’Dell.

Damien – who has been a full-time paranormal investigator since 2002, as well as a historian and author on all things ghoulish – told the Crow how it all began.

“I first saw a ghost when I was 10 years old,” he said.

“I saw a person moving in the garden, gliding rather than walking.

“I wasn’t on my own, I was with my friend, and we both looked at each other and realised we had seen our first ghost.”

His first taste of the paranormal had Damien hooked and he hasn’t looked back since.

He formed his group APIS – the Anglia Paranormal Investigation Society – in 2002 and the team regularly investigate haunted sites.

Damien also invites others into the group who share his spooky passion and for those want to find out more about the haunted history of Royston he runs local tours.

With warm coats and high spirits, brave folk walk the streets on his regular winter ghost walks, and he said he always gets a good response.

This Hallowe’en he is also branching out to do his first two-hour talk on witchcraft at Royston Library.

“I’ve given some talks at the library,” he said. “I like to support my library and help retain the service. My previous talks have done well there, and this one will be a bit different because it is brand new – my first talk on witchcraft.

“I have friends who are practising witches and it is something I am very interested in so I’m looking forward to it.”

Damien – who has written books Paranormal Hertfordshire and Paranormal Cambridgeshire – has also been busy penning his next book, due out at the end of the year.

If you wish to become a ghost hunter alongside Damien, APIS look for anybody enthusiastic about the paranormal and is happy to be part of a team, full training is provided.

For more on this or Damien’s other projects email him at damien.odell@yahoo.co.uk

The Witchcraft talk takes place on Thursday, October 27, from 7pm to 9pm. Go to www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/libraryeventtickets to book your place. Tickets are £7, concessions £5.