A tour of the scariest streets where people fear to tread

With Halloween fast approaching, many people are gearing up for fancy dress, pumpkin carving and a spot of good old-fashioned trick-or-treating.
Skull House Lane, Appley BridgeSkull House Lane, Appley Bridge
Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge

All this in between the favourite pastime of friends telling each other their ghost stories. But whilst many of us love a good haunted house tale, some Wiganers might be uneased by the amount of haunted streets that surround them.

With this in mind, we cracked out the A-Z to uncover plenty of suitably spooky streets that might require residents to keep their wits about them.

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Trick or Treaters will be out in force on October 31, but maybe not along Cemetery Road - which, not surprisingly, overlooks the vast Ince Cemetery.

Cemetery Road, InceCemetery Road, Ince
Cemetery Road, Ince

They also might want to skip Dungeon Lane, which, disappointingly, does not overlook any dungeons.

At first glance, Hell Nook might seem like an unassuming gravel trail which leads through picturesque fields towards a secluded, cosy cottage. But under the cover of darkness and with a low fog, it looks much more like a foreboding path to nowhere. And you may think twice about trying your luck along Hyde Close – who knows if Dr Jekyll and his evil alter ego might dwell there.

Residents could also be forgiven for walking swiftly by Strange Road in Garswood, Blackrod’s Dark Lane or Dangerous Corner in Leigh. And you might feel you’re tempting fate a little if you venture out to Bamfurlong’s Coffin Lane!

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But one location stands out above all the rest, with Skull House Lane apparently has a name so fear-inducing that it even has an effect on house sales.

Hell Nook, GolborneHell Nook, Golborne
Hell Nook, Golborne

The street in Appley Bridge was among a list of 30 locations which suggested a link between poor house sales and the creepy streets they were based on.

The date, compiled by estate agent House Simple, revealed that the street in Appley Bridge had seen only on eight property sales in the last decade, and none at all in the past year.

Other particularly Halloween-themed inclusions on the list were Black Cat Drive, Cauldron Crescent and even a Revenge Close!

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Alex Gosling, CEO of online estate agents HouseSimple.com commented: “Most of us wouldn’t read much into a name, but then we probably don’t live on Vampire Road, Reapers Close or Skull House Lane.

Reporter Liam Soutar dares to visit Strange Road, Ashton-in-MakerfieldReporter Liam Soutar dares to visit Strange Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield
Reporter Liam Soutar dares to visit Strange Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield

“And the sales numbers over the past year do suggest these streets may suffer a little because their names leave a shiver after the first viewing.

“After all, when the nights draw in, would you be slightly nervous about viewing a property on Hangman’s Lane?

“Fortunately, most people aren’t spooked by Halloween and the name of the street is unlikely to be a factor if you find your perfect property. A determined buyer won’t be put off buying a house because the street name is Gallow’s Close or Dead Lane, but maybe they just won’t view it on Friday 13!”

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