TALES of strange goings-on at York's largest museum fired the imagination of paranormal investigators, who descended last night with an array of evidence-gathering equipment.

Twenty enthusiasts from the Paranormal Activity Research Team set up camp at York's National Railway Museum (NRM) after dark, armed with the latest of 21st century sound, light and visual monitoring technology.

Organiser Duane Ellis said some had travelled from as far as Devon to be involved in what he described as the group's most significant investigation since it was founded in 2002.

The 34-year-old, who admitted being "quite nervous" before setting up the equipment, said he had heard stories from a member of NRM staff of things being moved and occasional sightings.

The group will have to examine hundreds of hours-worth of footage over the coming days before coming to any firm conclusions.

But Duane said: "Hopefully, we will see some confirmation of sightings there. There are one or two reports of shadowy figures walking around, some of the artefacts being moved, sounds of footsteps in some of the carriages on display and light anomalies have been caught on the exterior of the museum.

"This is the most major investigation we have done. It has taken about two months to organise. We have taken out liability insurance for £5 million to cover any eventuality."

The Station Hall is the former York freight depot, or goods warehouse, opened by the North Eastern Railway Company in the late 19th century. In 1976, the NRM acquired the building to use as a store - 14 years later it was opened to the public. The Great Hall is the former site of the York North Motive Power Depot, an engine shed.

The Yorkshire-based Paranormal Activity Research Team seeks out evidence of ghosts and spirits.

Members started to arrive from 9pm to set up the equipment, which included infra-red cameras, electro-magnetic field monitors and thermometers.

"We have everything we think might help us," said Duane.

Updated: 09:41 Saturday, May 07, 2005