A CHILLING insight into the heroes, villains and cold-blooded murderers of Blackburn will be given on a new ghost tour planned for the town.

Those brave enough to withstand the grisly tours will meet at Blackburn train station, before moving on to the home of 'Old Murray'.

Workers at the telephone exchange on Jubilee Street first complained of hearing a piano being played in the building in the 1960s.

The exchange was built on the site of Blackburn's Grand Theatre and it is thought that the last owner, William J Murray, laments the loss of the age of theatre by tinkling the ivories late into the night.

Simon Entwistle of Littlemoor Road, Clitheroe, first became interested in the darker side of the town's history after reading about it in local history books.

He said: "Blackburn has some fantastic stories, not just tales of murder and death but there are some real heroes from this town."

"I feel that Lancashire on the whole has a great deal to offer tourists. I really believe in this area. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than conducting tours and finding out about a region of which I am really proud."

The tours includes the story of the Lancastrian who enjoys the notoriety of being the county's first Madame Tussaud's waxwork. In 1873 William Fish, the demon barber of Blackburn, butchered the little girl Emily Holland. Ordinary citizens joined police in a five-day search for the child.

Her torso was found wrapped in newspaper, which had traces of human hair in it, on the side of a road in Bastwell. After sniffing eagerly at the newspaper, the police bloodhounds beat a path to Fish's shop Moss Street.

The remainder of the body was found stuffed up the chimney of his parlour. He was hung at Kirkdale Jail, Liverpool, in 1873.

It also takes in the Plug-drawing Riots of 1842. Blackburn mill workers took to the streets, angry at their pay and conditions. The army was called in to deal with the disturbances and an unnamed woman was shot dead on Darwen Street. A ghostly silhouette of the woman is said to make regular appearances on the street.

The first tour will meet at Blackburn railway station on Monday, August 13, at 8pm. Information and tickets are available from Blackburn Tourist Information Centre on 01254 53277.