FIFTY years ago a shaken apprentice heating engineer saw Roman soldiers marching through the cellar of a house in the region's most haunted city.

Harry Martindale's vision, in the Treasurer's House, in York, has since become one of the city's most celebrated ghost stories, and visitors are now being invited to relive his chilling experience.

Ghost tours of the cellar led by professional guides tell the spine-tingling tale of Harry's ghosts, from the far-off sounds of trumpets to the sight of 20 Roman soldiers, visible only from the knees up, walking along the route of a long-forgotten Roman road.

"The Roman soldiers in the Treasurer's House are the oldest and probably the best known of the city's ghosts," said Joanna Rose, of the Treasurer's House.

"By opening up the cellar to the public we hope to bring Harry's story to life for our visitors and who knows, maybe one day some of our visitors will hear the sound of those ghostly trumpets."

The attraction will be open to the public daily, except Fridays, until September, with tours taking place every 30 minutes.

For opening times, ticket prices and information, call (01904) 624247.