If you pop into the Fleece Inn for a quiet pint, you might find it's anything but.

The Elland boozer is known for things that go bump in the night, according to Ancestry.

The family history resource has named the most haunted pubs in West Yorkshire — and uncovered some grisly tales from the Fleece.

A fight between a traveller and a local conman in the late 19th century saw one of the men bleed to death on the pub's staircase.

Despite numerous attempts, nothing could remove the bloody stain and it became a prominent feature in the pub.

The grounds are also said to be home to Old Leathery Coit — a headless ghost in a battered leather coat that, according to legend, take up a seat on a carriage pulled by equally headless horses.

According to Greater Elland Historical Society, the carriage was driven furiously down Westgate, Church Street, Dog Loin (Eastgate), to Old Earth and then it returned to the barn near the back door of the pub.

This spectre created a sudden rush of wind and upon hearing this people would say "There goes Leathery Coit".

Archive picture of The Fleece Inn
Archive picture of The Fleece Inn

Anita Hugill, landlady at the Fleece Inn, said mediums and psychics had reported ghostly goings-on in the pub, including sightings of a 'grumpy man in a coat'.

She said: "We have some mediums that come in every Monday, they have said that there are quite a few spirits around the pub.

"It's quite strange really. Occasionally when I'm cleaning in the evenings I'll get a smell of pipe smoke, or it smells as if the fire has been lit — but we don't light them."

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But despite the spooky happenings, Anita has been told never to be afraid — and says she's happy at the Fleece.

"I absolutely love the place, it has a really good feel to it," she added. "The function room is supposed to be haunted and I love going and sitting in there on my own.

"The pub's got lots of creaks at night but it's over 400 years old — it's never anything to be afraid of."

Further afield, the Old White Lion in Bradford is said to be haunted by daredevil parachutist Lily Cove, famous for launching herself out of hot air balloons and parachuting down to earth.

Lily Cove
Lily Cove

Things took a turn for the worse however when she fell out of her parachute and plummeted to the ground at a local show in 1906. Still showing signs of life, she was rushed to the Old White Lion but died at the scene. Locals still report sightings of Lily – especially on the anniversary of her death.

And in Keighley, the Dog and Gun gained its ghost under the ownership of James Cowgill in 1903.

Legend has it that an old woman pig farmer was run over by a horse and cart on her way to the pub one evening and died shortly afterwards in one of the upstairs bedrooms. She now haunts the premises, taking a particular liking to the repositioning of ornaments and regular smashing of crockery.

The tales come from Ancestry's West Yorkshire Occupation Collection 1638-1962.

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