AN 18TH century pub which has links to one of the most notorious criminals in England’s history, has been put up for sale.

The Punch Bowl in Hurst Green was visited by highwaymen Dick Turpin and Ned King in the late 1730s and the ghost of ‘Old Ned’ is said to still roam the pub.

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The pub has stood on the site in Longridge Road since the 1720s and the Grade Two listed building has been put up for sale for £325,000.

Turpin and King arrived at the pub in 1738 from Essex and stayed for three days before Turpin left for York, with Ned staying behind to stalk the nearby roads.

Ned, who was helped by the pub’s landlord Jonathan Brisco, meet his end in 1741 when he was captured by the army and hanged from a tree outside the pub.

Supernatural expert and historian Simon Entwistle said: “I hope that the pub is sold to the right owner and that it is reopened as a pub.

“The pub has a wonderful and rich tradition and that needs to be preserved for the people of the Ribble Valley and for tourists.

“The pub has a deep connection with highwaymen and is an important part of the story of Dick Turpin as well.

“It has a lot of character and I hope that it is brought back to life soon.

“It breaks my heart to see historic pubs closed down so I hope that it reopens soon.” He said.

Simon added: “It’s important for the Ribble Valley to try and keep its historic pubs open.

“During the last great depression not a single pub was closed but since the economic crisis in 2008 a great many have closed in Lancashire alone.”

The pub has previously been included in haunted pub tours in the Ribble Valley including The Lower Buck in Waddington, The Sun Inn at Chipping, The DeLacy Arms in Whalley.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, who is the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, said: “It’s quite miserable every time I drive past it to see what was a very popular pub in such a state.

“I remember having a tremendous dinner there once and the ambiance was amazing.

“You do not have to be in the centre of a town to run a successful pub like many others in the borough have shown over recent years.

“I hope that the right new buyer is found who has the time and the enthusiasm to restore the pub to it’s former glory.

“Any time a pub is shut down is a disappointment but one with such rich historical links is even more so.” He added.