Hallowe'en. All Hallows' Eve. Spooky, right? Gotta say, for apparitions like me Hallowe'en is a bit of a busman's holiday. It just means an extra round of the town, haunting. And an extra round in each tavern.

One good thing about it: for one night a year I get to see all the less active Hadleigh spirits. They all come out: the persecuted witch, the Roundhead who lost his regiment, the nineteenth century river-boat woman, the downed fighter pilot, etc. It's good to see them all.

And for once you can hear the wolves in Wolves' Wood.

The town hall gets pretty crowded with ghastly wizened spectres. And I don't mean the councillors, haha. Each of them with some gripe.

At the end of the night we all stagger on to the ghost train a little the worse for wear and disappear down the Railway Walk.

Not gonna lie though, once a year is enough. There's only so much moaning a king can take. Tempted to tell these aggrieved ghosts to get over it and get a life. Probably not the right thing to say.

If you ask me, our annual haunting has become a waste of time. Nowadays everyone thinks we're just people in Hallowe'en costumes. But I guess we have to tick the box.

Even the blessed Rowland Taylor does his bit. Grudgingly. He doesn't believe in ghosts on theological grounds. Which makes his current predicament difficult for him. He usually keeps to Aldham Common. If you're up there tonight and you see in the corner of your eye a whisp of smoke or smell burning, he's around. Say hi to him from me.

I only hope Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General, doesn't make an appearance. He mostly sticks to Manningtree but sometimes he pops up here. Nasty piece of work. He pushes any old conspiracy theory and blames it all on – clue's in his title - witches. He's even worse now he's discovered Facebook. It's like it was made for him. His latest theory is that Hadleigh's new cycle racks are really designed for broomsticks. Which I guess would explain why I've never seen a bike in any of them, haha.

My favourite ghost has got to be Ada Matthew, Hadleigh suffragette. She fought for the right to vote. Not into 'votes' myself. I'm more of a 'proclamation' type of guy. But she was a worthy warrior. Respect is due. Reckon she deserves a plaque. After I get mine, obvs.

Anyway, if you're out tonight, trick or treating, bobbing for apples, or whatever, keep an eye out for me. Probably find me in a hostelry, chewing the fat with Ada Matthew and a lost Roman legionary or a hanged eighteenth century smuggler. I'll have to do the obligatory 'boo' but once that's done we can have a chinwag, a flagon or two, and set the world to rights.

But if you don't see me - or see right through me, haha - Happy Hallowe'en!