A GRANDMOTHER was inspired to write a novel about the 'chilling' tales of Lancashire's past after losing her son.

Julie Kayley, from Burnley, has released a book which tells several 'shocking' stories about events that have occurred in East Lancashire.

Some of these tales include the drowning of a young girl in Ribble Valley, a massacre in Worsthorne and the brutal murder of a Darwen schoolmistress.

Ms Kayley, of Ightenhill, said she developed a 'morbid interest' after her 25-year-old son, Philip, died eight years ago.

The 64-year-old, who wrote her first book in 2016 about the chilling events of Burnley's past, says her sequel was borne out of a fascination and interest in other people's lives from times gone by.

The Burnley author said: "I lost my son eight years ago and I thought I needed to focus on something to take my mind off it.

"I spent many hours walking around cemeteries and graveyards, reading epitaphs and wondering how these people lived and died. I developed a curiosity."

Her latest book, which is 92 pages long, contains 15 different stories about horrific events which took place in Clitheroe, Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington, Burnley and Colne around the 1800s.

The author says one of the novel's most intriguing tales relates to a young girl who drowned in the River Ribble at Clitheroe back in the 1890s.

Ms Kayley said: "A young girl in Clitheroe ended up drowning in the River Ribble not long after her boyfriend from Blackpool came to see her.

"It was not clear whether the death was accidental or if she was murdered.

"Seven years later her boyfriend was sentenced to death for killing a different woman, his wife, at Blackpool Magistrates' Court.

"Years on it still remains unclear whether he was involved in the drowning his ex-partner at Clitheroe." Ms Kayley said she spent much of her time researching on the British National Archives website and looking through old newspaper articles.

She said the stories had to be pieced together and added: "Newspaper articles told different stories and there were many discrepancies but I think I have found out as near to the truth as you can get."

People who want to purchase the book should contact Ms Kayley at chillingevents@gmail.com or visit Amazon.