Enjoy a spooky Christmas ghost story? Listen to our festive tales read by Kings Theatre star

Every year we ask you to pen your own scary story with a Christmas flavour – either set in times gone by or the modern world.

To mark this year’s competition we asked Jack Edwards, creative director at The Kings Theatre, to read out the two winners’ tales so you can listen to them ahead of Christmas Day.

Jack is currently playing Widow Twankey in The Kings’ festive production of Aladdin.

This year’s winner was David Gates, with the under-16 category won by 10-year-old Sophie Betteridge. Click on the links below to listen to their stories.

David Gates – My Mother and the Medium

Sophie Betteridge – Spirited Sisters

The Hayling Island Bookshop once again provided prizes for the winners of the competition - £50 to spend in-store.

By day David, 53, is an IT expert but by night he delights in writing horror stories.

He said: ‘I take inspiration from real life - which I suppose makes the story even creepier.’

There’s lots to look forward at The Kings in 2020, including their production of The Woman in Black which runs from Monday February 3 to Saturday February 8.

Why not relive one of the all-time classic ghost stories and enjoy the latest adaptation of Susan Hill’s spine-chiller?