library ghost
© Chris HealeyThe ghostly apparition caught on camera at the old library at The Green
The fight to save Stafford's Carnegie Library has taken a spooky twist amid claims a ghost may have been caught on camera.Tireless members of the Friends of the Old Library Trust have been holding open events and tours to drum up interest in their campaign to turn it into an arts space - and last week's music event certainly proved interesting.

Stafford musicians Jon Watkiss and Steve Sutton of FEF Noise Devices, put on a private performance of dark ambient soundscape at the Old Library. Their friend Chris Healey took a photograph of the two as they created their soundscape, produced using sounds from adapted electronic toys. The image was taken in the dark and when Chris increased the brightness he noticed the image of what appeared to be a figure hovering over the musicians, listening intently to the music.

Nicky Baron, who has been spearheading the library campaign, said: "It later transpired that one of the musicians Jon initially came into the building alone, and while he was setting up by torchlight as there is no electricity at the Old Library, he felt his hair being ruffled in a friendly way. "Of course we don't really believe in ghosts, but if there were any at the Old Library, it's nice to know that they appreciate a bit of Art Noise."

The campaigners have been trying to get £650,000 to buy the building at The Green and have managed to get it listed by English Heritage. But they have to hand the keys back on February 6 when the lease runs out and the site goes up for auction at the end of that month. Members are hoping a buyer will fail to come forward as the amount of work that needs doing to bring it up to scratch could run into hundreds of thousands. This would give campaigners more time to apply for cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Architectural Heritage Fund to buy it.