THOSE who have experienced 'high strangeness' in the Bude area are being asked to get in touch with a man who is putting together a book on the paranormal.

Mark Wyatt, from Bude, said he thought there was a gap in the market for a ghost book in the town.

"As a kid, when I went on holiday around the British coast with my family, to seaside resorts such as Shanklin or St Ives, I would always seek out and buy the local ghost stories book — every seaside town had them!

"It occurred to me recently that Bude hasn't got one, well not yet, but I have made a good start!"

He is looking for people from Bude who have experienced anything strange or those that have seen a ghost or perhaps a UFO in the area to get in touch — even if they do not wish their name to be published in his work.

His research for the book is covering an approximate area from Crackington to Clovelly.

He added: "I will be respectful to those who submit their experiences. There will be no alterations or embellishments. I will show you the finished typed story for your approval before publishing.

"I will not 'rubbish' your stories or try to shoe-horn some alleged 'rational scientific explanation' on to them. You won't find me implying you had too much to drink, or calling your UFOs 'swamp gas', 'Venus' or a 'Weather Balloon'. After all only you know what you saw, because you were there.

"My role as author is not to be a sceptic, my job is to put together the most interesting collection of spooky 'Bude' stories I can collate, as told and experienced by you, the people of this area.

"I myself have seen and experienced plenty of very strange things of a weird and ghostly nature, since way back when I was a kid in rural Surrey — and up until fairly recently down here in Cornwall too — so I do have a very sympathetic and non-judgemental ear for your stories."

Mr Wyatt is eager for people to get in touch with him soon, and hopes to publish the book within the next year.

Those with spooky stories to tell can contact Mr Wyatt by emailing [email protected]">[email protected].