MERCURY/GETTY Does this slivery figure show the ghostly apparition of an old beggar woman?

Sharon Kearns, 46, had visited the theme park for a ghost walk joined by mediums and TV show Most Haunted's Brian Shepherd. However the group were left "shocked" when they spotted what they believe is an eerie figure in one of Ms Kearns' photos from the evening. While there have been numerous ghost sightings in the theme park grounds, one legend has it an old beggar woman put a hex on the land in 1821 and mediums have recently speculated that it is indeed cursed.

The stories do not put Ms Kearns off though, and she claims she is eager to return to Alton Towers so she can see if she can catch another spooky shape on camera. Ms Kearns, from Liverpool, said: "As we went round [on the ghost hunt] in groups, I happened to take a few random pictures. "After the walk we all went back to have cups of tea and we were going through our pictures. Someone then said 'you have something there' about one of my pictures.

MERCURY Sharon Kearns was visiting the theme park for a ghost walk

"They were all shocked. No one else had caught anything like mine. It caused a stir around those who saw it. They all said it was very spooky and a good catch.

Someone then said 'you have something there' about one of my pictures Sharon Kearns

"It looks like a lady with a long gown on. Lots of people are saying that. Lots of people can see what I see. "When I look at that picture I think 'hang on a minute, maybe there could be' [something supernatural out there]. "You are a sceptic until you see that [the picture] and then you are like 'oh my god'. After seeing that [I think differently] as I know it's my own picture. I'm now a lot less sceptical and believe it now. "I've not had any other experiences myself but I would like to. Though I think I would be quite scared, I would love to make me fully believe." Legend has it that in 1821, the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury Charles Talbot was returning home one winter's night when an old lady stood in his stagecoach's path. Angry that she had held him up, he apparently shouted at her to move but she explained she was homeless cold and hungry.

MERCURY She was joined by mediums and TV show Most Haunted's Brian Shepherd

When he refused to help her, the story says she placed a curse on him and his family and said that for every branch that falls from a nearby oak tree, one of his family will die. It is said that when a storm broke a branch that night, a member fell ill and died. To this day the tree has visible chains on it in the theme park grounds. During the walk, Ms Kearns says she was picked to be the human 'pendulum' in which she stood in the middle of the group to see if any spirits would move her. Ms Kearns said: "I was a bit scared from being the pendulum and I was thinking 'oh god' as it was weird as I was actually moving.

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"I thought it could have been my own body or could have been the power of suggestion on the night. "People have seen a lot of things in the picture. Some have seen a woman, others say it looks like a monk. "To me it looks like a woman but I can't be sure as I can't see the face. I don't know if it's the [old woman from the legend]. But there's definitely something there.

MERCURY The myth goes that an old beggar woman put a hex on the land in 1821