HIGH levels of interest in all things spooky have helped a fledgling North Lincolnshire firm establish itself this year.

Phantom Encounters was set up as a family business in April, with most of its members based in Scunthorpe.

The company organises public ghost hunting events across the country, as well as providing corporate paranormal investigation experiences.

Matt Coles, 26, of Kathleen Avenue, Scunthorpe, is one of five people behind the company and said the business grew from an existing shared hobby.

He said: "We thought for people who haven't got the opportunity to go on programmes like Most Haunted, we can give them the opportunity to do it for themselves.

"As a business venture, in the climate we are in, we thought 'why not have a go at it?'.

"Before we knew it, quite a few people knew the name Phantom Encounters and it just took off."

Events are organised by the group approximately once a month at various venues that are thought to be haunted.

The experience differs from those provided by other companies because the events allow customers to take an active role in using hi-tech equipment and to choose their method of investigation.

Mr Coles said one of the nearby venues soon to be investigated was the Old Nick Theatre in Gainsborough.

He said: "We would like to do a couple of pubs in Scunthorpe and there are a couple of big, old buildings in Ashby that we would like to do."

The company also accepts suggestions from customers of new venues to investigate.

As well as the base in Scunthorpe, the organisation also has a branch in Essex.

Company director Jason Day, who is also the author of a book called Haunted Scunthorpe, said he was pleased with the initial response to Phantom Encounters.

He said: "Like any start-up business we expected there to be a period of settling in when it came to developing our customer base in the region.

"However, we clearly underestimated the number of people in the Scunthorpe area with an interest in things that "go bump in the night".

"The response has been nothing short of overwhelming."

Mr Day added how he felt it was important to help the local economy in North Lincolnshire.

He said: "We firmly believe in the ethos of promoting local business and keeping money in the local economy and despite having two branches, our heart is, and always will be, firmly in Scunthorpe. We love that part of what we do keeps money coming into the Scunthorpe economy and provides exposure for local businesses, albeit in a rather unusual manner."

For more information about Phantom Encounters or to buy tickets for any of its events, visit www.phant omencounters.co.uk