IF there's something strange in your neighbourhood, who ya gonna call? Ghost Finders...

Alternatively, you could visit the Ghost Finder General's new website, www.ghostfindergeneral.co.uk, for news on the York afterlife and top tips for spotting spooks.

York's Ghost Finder General herself, Rachel Lacy, and medium Di Jarvis, who appears regularly on television programmes about the supernatural, are two leading lights behind PSI (Psychic and Spectral Investigations) which run the site.

The group's patron is Harry Martindale, the man who famously saw a ghostly Roman legion walk through the Treasurer's House basement.

On the site, Rachel is billed as the Reverend. "I was actually ordained a reverend on the Universal Ministries website from Illinois, the same one that Robbie Williams used to be ordained," she told the Diary.

"You can't do this sort of investigating and not have some sort of faith in something."

That's not to discount the science. Armed with various high-tech gadgets to detect paranormal activity, PSI has undertaken vigils at the Castle Museum, the Roman Bath and the Golden Fleece.

Photographs of ghostly "orbs" from these events can be seen on the site.

If you want to conduct your own vigil for ghosts, you can email the group for advice. And you can also ask them to investigate a haunted building, for free and on a no-publicity basis if that suits.

Rachel believes York is not making the most of its status as the world's most haunted city.

"We have got some very good ghost tours," she said. "But we should be doing full package weekends. I have had people contacting me saying 'we're coming to York to look for ghosts'."

Perhaps the tourism slogan could be amended accordingly: "York: Live The History/Dead The History".

THEY'VE got the sideburns, they've got the shades, they've got the deep fried hamburgers.

All the organisers of York's charity Elvis Academy talent show are lacking is the right car.

They had lined up a Cadillac for the event at the Tap & Spile, Monkgate, on May 30 and 31. That would have been the perfect prop as Elvis impersonators competed to be voted the best. But it has since become unavailable.

Have you a Cadillac they can borrow? If so contact Eddie Vee on (01904) 782297 or Jack Merry at the Tap & Spile on (01904) 656158.

OUR last word from Peter Bleach, for now. The former York schoolboy jailed after an arms drop in India says politicians do not have too much to fear from the autobiography he is penning above a Scarborough pub.

But one erstwhile minister might be embarrassed.

"Politicians did me a great deal of damage," he said.

"Michael Howard was Home Secretary at the time I was arrested. He stated I had been told not to become involved in this before checking if this was true.

"He announced this in Delhi. It absolutely slaughtered me - I was within two or three days of being released."

And Peter was astonished to discover that some newspapers had labelled him a "noted international terrorist".

"This would all be good fun if it wasn't for 9/11. In the post-9/11 context this is a terrible thing to have against your name. I would hate to land at any American airport."

FROM Roger Duggleby, in York City email newsletter There's Only One Arthur Bottom: "Great - the Harrogate Minstermen hold a celebratory event with a band whose first single is entitled 'Useless'! Good to see we haven't lost our sense of humour..."

Write to: The Diary, Chris Titley, The Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN

Email diary@ycp.co.uk

Telephone (01904) 653051 ext 337

Updated: 09:40 Tuesday, May 11, 2004