The Restless Bones & Other True Mysteries by Peter Haining (Armada, year unknown)

Cover illustration: Alun Hood

Interior illustrations: Ellis Nadler

Assorted tales of strange and unlikely goings-on, written in simple words and big type, guaranteed to put a rocket under the imagination of any young mind. Do kids these days still read books like this? I hope so.

I suppose parents & teachers might frown upon Haining’s insistence that the tall tales herein are all 100% factual, but his introduction, in which he thanks readers of his previous books for alerting him to new ‘mysteries’ worthy of investigation, is certainly pretty charming.

My favourite story is the none-more-hauntological yarn about an RAF pilot stationed at Mildenhal in Norfolk, who apparently discovers whistling East Anglian ghost ‘Old Roger’ doing his bit to help repel the Luftwaffe. Top stuff!