TOURISTS on the Ghost Trail in York witnessed a horror completely off the script - a knife-wielding thug threatening two of their party.

The tourists were expecting tales of spooks and ghouls from the city’s ancient past, but the terror trail was all too real when drunken lout Aaron Campy pulled out a three-inch lock knife.

Campy, 41, who had been drinking heavily, terrorised the tourists at knife-point after his drunk friend Adam Lee got into an argument with two members of the touring party near Shambles.

After Lee had finished grappling with the two men, Campy stepped in and confronted one of them, holding the knife as if braced for attack.

When police arrived, Campy shouted abuse then refused a body search and threatened to head-butt officers. Police managed to cuff him and he was arrested on suspicion of affray.

Campy, of Boroughbridge Road, York, was later charged with a public-order offence and carrying a bladed weapon in public. He admitted the offences and was jailed on Friday at York Crown Court.

Prosecuting barrister Nicholas Rooke said the terrifying incident, witnessed by about 20 people, happened near Shambles and Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate at about 6.45pm on September 18.

Campy’s drinking buddy Lee, 26, walked up to the group and shouted: “This is rubbish!”

Two of the ten ghost trail participants, Martin Parker and Kevin O’Grady, tried to calm him down, but Lee squared up to them and threw punches at both men, who grabbed the lout.

Campy then appeared holding the knife, whereupon Mr O’Grady held up his hands to show he was unarmed. Campy put the knife away but the tourists were said to be “very shaken”.

Mr Rooke said: “About 20 people were watching and (Mr O’Grady) said they all looked horrified. Mr Parker feared the worst and thought [Campy] was going to use it [the knife]. The defendant was motivated by hostility to the group.”

Campy had claimed he had been using the knife while fishing on the Ouse but later got so drunk he forgot he had it on him.

He claimed he had only used the knife as a “warning” to Mr Parker and Mr O’Grady and that the blade was locked down, but one of the other tourists took a picture, which showed the defendant pointing the blade.

The court heard Campy had convictions for assault and a previous public- disorder matter in which a knife was used.

His lawyer Kristian Cavanagh described Campy, who lives with his mother, as a “vulnerable” man who was a caring individual when sober.

Judge Paul Batty QC told Campy: “You, with your drunken friend, terrorised lawful individuals, tourists to this fine city on a ghost walk to Shambles.

“By far the worst aspect of this case is that you produced a vicious knife and you were brandishing it to the absolute horror of these tourists who were visiting the city. The photos taken by the tourists of you brandishing the knife are chilling in the extreme.”

He added: “The public of York should understand that if anyone carries a knife within the city walls, they will receive a custodial sentence.”

Mr Batty jailed Campy for 12 months. In October, York magistrates gave Lee a community order for a Section 4 public-order offence.