Jim Morrison and his fiancee Heather MacLeod are former employees of Ballachulish Hotel, where they and others have reported experiencing paranormal activity.

Staff and guests alike have spoken of apparitions and unexplained occurrences at the hotel, which dates back to the 1830s, and some even have photographs.

And now, after forming Ghost and Paranormal Investigators Scotland, the couple say they ain't afraid of no ghosts and they're the people to call if there is something strange in the neighbourhood.

The pair worked at the hotel in the summer and, following a spate of strange encounters during their time there, they felt the need to set up the new non-profit making organisation.

Jim Morrison (35), who is from Fort William but now lives in Kinlochleven, told the Lochaber News: "Both Heather and I have always been interested in the paranormal and had experienced paranormal experiences together so we thought we would get together to set this group up to do investigations and prove spirits exist.

"Our experiences happened when we both worked at the Ballachulish Hotel. When we started, other members of staff said they had experienced paranormal activity but we didn't know whether to believe them until we experienced things for ourselves."

Jim was a porter at the hotel, while Heather (44) was assistant housekeeper when they stumbled across strange goings on.

He recalled: "One day in room 112, I was helping Heather move a bed when we heard heavy footsteps coming along the corridor and stopping outside the door. But when I looked, nobody was there. Heather had experienced the same thing in the same room a few days before.

"On another occasion, I was in room 204 when the window which normally stays open twice slammed shut when there was no wind or anything to cause it. Then, when I looked over to the bed, there was an imprint on it as if somebody had been sitting on it. There would also be strange feelings in certain rooms like you were being watched.

"After we left the hotel we were watching a ghost-hunting programme on TV, which gave us the idea to set up our own group."

Along with three others - Rob Price, of Fort William, and Natalie Milne and Jim Rogan, both of Aberdeen - the team will investigate people's houses and other premises like hospitals, schools and hotels.

Ballachulish Hotel.

Their first probe will be in February at Old Inverlochy Castle. All investigations are free, though donations help buy equipment such as video cameras.

Gwen MacAskill, head receptionist at Ballachulish Hotel, said for some years guests have spoken of unexplained phenomena at the hotel.

She said: "There have been people who have mentioned things happening at the hotel.

"One guest who stayed a couple of years ago emailed us a picture he had taken in room 215 of what looks like a small boy standing beside the bed.

"One of our maintenance guys who has been here for 15 years has spoken of seeing the boy in the picture. People have mentioned just feeling things in a couple of rooms.

"In room 121, people say they have experienced seeing someone or feeling as though there is somebody standing in the room.

"Also in room 121, there was a driver staying a few years ago who was convinced he was being held on the bed by something and it wouldn't let him go. He also said how he had heard children's voices in the room. That room had been beside the children's nursery when the hotel was first built.

"Other people have mentioned an old lady standing in corridors, while another time a member of staff was staying in a room while the hotel was closed when her partner heard footsteps coming down the corridor. When they looked, no-one was there and the hotel was closed anyway."

A night porter reportedly heard the tinkling of ivories in the early hours of the morning. But when he entered the lounge he found the piano was playing - on its own.

Ms MacAskill has worked at the hotel for 15 years but hasn't experienced anything untoward herself.

"It always happens to other people," she laughed.

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