Sex offenders Peterhead Prison to be subject of ghost hunt

A former prison turned tourist attraction is to be the subject of a spooky TV show about ghosts.

HMP Peterhead. A prison officer in the exercise yard. Photo: Robert Perry/The Scotsman

Last year, the former HMP Peterhead jail was relaunched as a museum and visitor centre, charting the history of one of the nation’s most famous penitentiaries.

And now, bosses at the museum have revealed that popular paranormal reality television series Most Haunted will be filmed in the jail later this year.

The programme investigates alleged paranormal phenomena in locations across the UK.

The series has produced more than 200 episodes which have been shown across several channels since it first aired in 2002.

Alex Geddes, development coordinator at the visitor centre, confirmed: “We’re delighted - it will be taking place in February.”

He said details about the show are being kept a secret in the run-up to February, but that the Most Haunted team may also visit another location in the north-east.

The announcement came as Mr Geddes revealed that more than 50,000 visited the HMP Peterhead museum in the first six months.

HMP Peterhead was a specialist centre for sex offenders.

He added: “We’re very grateful to every single person who came through the door and we’re looking to make things bigger and better for 2017.

“There will soon be more cells opening up because there have been some artefacts and items brought in to us.

“They will show the work from the inmates in the wood workshop and tailor workshop.”

The site was also handed a prestigious four-star rating by tourist body Visit Scotland in November.

Mr Geddes said: “The VisitScotland award was a real success for us in getting four stars in just six months. We’re now driving forward to get five stars this year.”

Displays at the visitor centre let tourists explore the jail’s history, which stretched from 1888 to 2013.

Among the services available are audio tours narrated by some of the former prison officers who worked at the jail, including Jackie Stewart who was held hostage during a riot at the prison in 1987.