IF you really listen hard you can almost hear the screams of terror from the miscreants sent to the slammer for, say, stealing a loaf of bread.

You can also feel the presence of ghosts condemned to a lonely life shackled in Lanc-aster Castle and a tour of the magnificent city landmark should be a must.

The castle is still a working prison but the historic Shire Hall, including the Crown Court, is open daily for tours.

And no tour is better than the fantastic and chilling Dark History' tour, led by an apprentice hangman and a judge who believes the death penalty is the least you could expect and deserve for living in Lancaster in Georgian times.

The knowledgeable guides (sorry, they are not really a hangman and a judge before the executioners' union picks up the phone to complain) recount the history of the castle and some of the famous inmates with relish and gusto.

The tour doesn't tell too much about the castle building. If you want that, go to the Shire Hall during the day for one of the regular tours.

But it does exactly what is says on the tin and you very quickly realise that we weren't the nicest or most tolerant people a few hundred years ago.

But it wasn't all badif you were sentenced to swing, you did at least get a last drink in the Golden Lion on your way to the noose.

Some people find some of the tour's tales a little graphic but you are warned in advance of exactly what to expect.

And to be fair it's no worse than some of the things you will see in TV crime dramas.

This isn't made-up stuff. This is what really used to happen the tales are not sanitised in any way, shape or form. And it's great fun.

Especially the few minutes sat in the Crown Court with stories of hangmen who were not necessarily the most proficient of their profession.

The art of hanging someone, you see, is to make it pretty quick. It isn't just as simple as chucking a rope around their neck and pulling.

Weight, distance and all manner of sums were needed to make the perfect execution.

But one particular hangman of Lancaster was not too good at his maths and sometimes found it difficult to produce the textbook execution.

Mind you, he did last for several decades before taking up drinking.

If you have ever taken a tour of the castle the excellent Dark History tour is a must.

And if you've never been to the castle, get there soon - people do not know what they are missing.

It's a fascinating way to spend the thick end of two hours.

* The next Dark History tour takes place on Friday, March 18, at 7.30pm. Tours cost £4. Contact the castle on 01524-64998 for more details.