GHOST hunts and weddings at Smithills Hall are set to be more expensive from April, as cash-strapped Bolton Council looks to make more money.

Officials are asking council leader Cllr Cliff Morris to approve plans to raise the cost of room hire at the Grade-I listed manor house.

To hire the Great Hall for four hours for a wedding would cost £950 instead of £900, or £700 for two hours.

Meanwhile, paranormal hunting for six hours in the haunted grounds would cost £650 from April, compared with £624.

In his report, Steve Arnfield, the council’s deputy chief executive, said the price rise would standardise the pricing structure for the council’s properties across the borough, including the central library and museum. He added: “As we have not amended our wedding charges since 2009, we have carried out a review of wedding hire charges in the region.

“The majority of other venues charge more than us, so we will increase our hire charges, but we will remove the advertised charge for eight hours hire as this has not proved useful to customers.”