A GHOST hunting company say it is a 'mystery' how three people investigating a former police station were locked in a cell for three hours during a recent event.

Fire crews were called to the Grade II-listed former Accrington police station after midnight on July 21 after reports that people had been trapped.

The 'Most Haunted Experience' gives the opportunity for the public to join the crew from the hit TV series and they investigate alongside them at night.

However, bosses are baffled by the 'bizarre' chain of events and have launched an investigation into how the cell door was locked.

Jenny Bryant from Most Haunted Experience said: "There was a deadlock in the locked position and doors open so the door can't close. The lock stopped the doors from closing and that was how it was left when the location was decommissioned.

"I have been to see the site previously and don't know how it could happen.

"We had seven guests doing the ghost hunt along with Gareth Berry who is a former police officer, Mary Beattie, Wendy Postma and then Gregg Smith from the show.

"It was good to have Gareth there because he said it was one of those things that cannot physically happen where it locked.

"Where the lock mechanism can be activated without a key. Keys are assigned to each police station and no-one has access to the keys for the cell.

"The guests were looked after during the whole situation and we made sure they were safe and got some drink. They were all upbeat and everyone was fine.

"The team were praised by the guests were given the option to carry on their investigating while the team looked after those in the cell.

"The guests in the cell had a team leader with them and they were in touch with me and they carried on investigating with fantastic results.

"There was a lot of doors banging, and then there was even a scream and one person said on the radio they were feeling really scared.

"There is lots of the stuff which cannot be explained and we can't marry it all up.

"We are still investigating but we are looking to put wooden blocks in the lock so it won't happen again.

"We had been down at the station earlier in the day and there were strange things happening such as loud footsteps and voices heard when no-one else was around.

"It sounded like something out of the movies.

"We tell our guests that you don't know what will happen and it did this time.

"We don't know if we can call it paranormal but at the moment it is a mystery.

"There is no explanation to how that door locked door or even was able to close in the frame."

A Lancashire Fire Service spokesman said: "The incident took place on July 21 at 00.54am and we had a call from a mobile saying that some people were taking part in a paranormal event.

"We initially sent a crew from Hyndburn and then later contacted the Urban Search and Rescue team.

"The crew attempted to gain entry with a saw and the people were later released at 3.10am."

Most Haunted Experience will be returning to Accrington on August 3.

* Were you one of the people who was trapped? Email robert.kelly@nqnw.co.uk