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The village of Happisburgh (pronounced ‘Hazebro’) lies on the Norfolk coast. It has a beach, sand dunes and two distinctive landmarks: a tall church tower and a red and white striped lighthouse, built in 1791. It also has a unique ghost: the Pump Hill Ghost, otherwise known as the Happisburgh Torso.

One night in 1765, three smugglers at Cart Gap, Happisburgh, fell out over the division of their spoils. A fight broke out and shots were heard. The following day large pools of blood were found on the beach, but there was no body to be found.

A few months later two local farmers saw a strange figure in the vicinity of Whimpwell Street. Dressed in sailor’s clothes and clutching a rough brown sack to its chest, it seemed to be walking but had no legs, and its head was dangling down its back attached only by a few thin strips of flesh. When it reached the village well it started to climb in, then suddenly disappeared.

The apparition was seen several times and the village council finally decided to investigate the well. A man was lowered into it and found a sack containing a pair of legs.

After this the well was drained and a larger sack was found. Inside was a rotting torso in sailor’s clothes. Hanging from its neck, by some decomposing strips of flesh, was a skull.

Each time the well has been disturbed the Happisburgh Torso has walked. It has been seen several times moving from the shore towards the coast road with its head bouncing down its back.

Happisburgh has another ghost – he is an eighteenth-century coastguard who walks along the front, laughing.