Pub regulars are getting more than their fair share of spirits with the appearance of a spooky grey woman at a 17th Century inn.

The woman has been making a spooky spectacle of herself at the Abergavenny Arms, Rodmell, near Lewes.

Drinkers and staff have witnessed sightings and experienced strange happenings at the pub, which was converted from a barn in 1650.

Sue Wood, who has owned the inn for two years, said: "We were in the bar and a chap was sitting there and asked if the pub was haunted because he had seen a ghost.

"He said his girlfriend had gone to the toilet and he looked around because he thought it was her coming back but it was the ghost of a female form. He wasn't frightened and seemed quite fascinated."

Others say they have seen a grey woman near the fireplace in the pub.

A group of Americans visited the venue in October and took photographs of the bar and a white ghostly image appeared on the pictures when they had them developed.

They sent some of the pictures to a friend in the village.

Mrs Wood said there had been some unexplained incidents in the pub, including the gas which propels the beer from the cellar to the bar being turned off tightly when there is no one around, items flying across one of the rooms and other objects being moved.

One of the former managers, who lived in the flat above, was woken in the early hours of the morning by the bell which marks last orders being rung.

Mrs Wood said: "He went down to see what was going on and there was no one there, just the bell swinging and ringing, which was very strange indeed."

It is not known who the woman is but residents believe she may also be making an appearance at a cottage in the village.

Mrs Wood said: "She's not a nasty ghost so I don't think there's any reason for anyone to be frightened."