THE mystery behind one of the region's haunted pubs grows deeper as strange envelopes keep landing on their doormat.

A handful of hoax letters and references to a phantom trail have left the owners of a North Yorkshire pub baffled.

Bob and Cath Hedley, of the Wellington Heifer, Ainderby Steeple, near Northallerton, are puzzled after receiving letters about an international group "Ghostsearch", which claims to have plans to visit the pub.

Letters from Darlington and Ripon have arrived mentioning an attempt to uncover the mystery of the Pedlar ghost.

As legend has it, the spirit of a pedlar still haunts the premises after he was murdered by the landlord in the mid-1700s. Roaming between the Wellington Heifer and the former George and Dragon, the ghost is said to turn out lights and rattle chains.

Meanwhile, The Northern Echo has also received information about the forthcoming event, from an unknown source.

Mrs Hedley said: "We don't know anything about these letters - there is no such thing as Ghostsearch, as far as we know. It is like having a stalker but not as nasty - someone is just playing a joke."

Mr Hedley said: "When we received the letter, addressed from J R Hartley, of Fishermans Cottage, I remembered the name from the Yellow Pages adverts and laughed - someone has clearly nothing better to do with their time."

The couple, who moved into the pub in September, even received a hoax compliments slip from Yorkshire Television confirming its attendance at the event.

A spokeswoman for the company said: "A genuine letter would have our yellow crest on it. There is no way of knowing who sent it."