A DARING duo, who spent a spine-chilling night in the cellar of one of Altrincham's most reputedly haunted pubs, have raised a whoppjng £1,300 for cancer research.

Stef Lomax, who runs The Orange Tree, where the cellar is, and her pal, Louise Brownell, underwent their ordeal to honour the memory of Bobbie Meakins.

The cash to be handed to Manchester's Christie Hospital, which specialises in treating cancer patients, was raised after both women were sponsored by friends and customers.

Bobbie, dubbed a ‘social butterfly’ by her devoted son, Nicolas, died aged 61 in July after an eight-week battle against the dreaded illness.

"Staying in the cellar was a terrifying experience," confessed Stef, who spent six daunting hours in the underground chamber with Louise, on September 1, starting at midnight.

"I heard footsteps just after midnight and then at 2.40 am there was a flash of light and it went icy cold."

Louise said: "Eventually after Stef nodded off, I could hear a man and a woman talking but I could not decipher what they were saying."

The ghosts are reputed to be a monk, a woman called Mary and a young boy.
Later, when the two women emerged from the cellar, two members of Manchester Paranormal, which investigates strange spiritual events, conducted a test when they fired questions while the four of them rested their fingers on a glass.

They claim their specialist equipment definitely detected the presence of spiritual beings.

Now in a bid to raise even more money for The Christie, Stef is donating ten per cent of the room fee for anyone who hires the function room where the ghosts are also reputed to be active.

"It is," said Stef, "for a very worthwhile cause and we all know someone who has either died from cancer or is undergoing treatment for it."

Bobbie's partner, Pete Keanan, said: "I am very proud of Stef and Louise - and Bobbie, would have been, two,"

Community fundraising manager at The Christie charity, Kelly Walton, said: “Our supporters go to great lengths to raise funds for cancer patients at The Christie – and staying overnight in a haunted pub cellar is certainly something different.

“Huge thanks to Stef and Louise for daring to complete this challenge for our charity.”