Famous for its ham, white horses and prehistoric monuments, Wiltshire can now add haunted road capital to its list after research found the county had the most reported paranormal activity on its road network.
Wiltshire topped the ranks with 57 reports, six more than second-placed Dorset and seven more than Essex in third.
In fact, the spectral South West had more haunted roads than any other English region, with 218, followed by the East of England with 187 and the South East with 183.
Scotland has 59 haunted road reports, while Wales has 50 and Northern Ireland has 10.
The reports, featured in The Paranormal Database’s Roads & Motorways archive, ranged from ghostly figures appearing in front of vehicles and on roads, as well as phantom hitchhikers, horse-drawn coaches and cars all apparently disappearing in front of witnesses without trace.
Wiltshire’s reports included sightings linked to major arterial routes such as the A4, A36, A350, A365 and A419, alongside smaller country roads and village lanes.
One report from the A365 described a horse and rider emerging from a hedge and crossing directly in front of a driver, forcing them to brake before apparently disappearing into a wall.
Another incident from the A4 near Corsham featured a driver encountering a strange figure at the roadside with what appeared to be a grinning skull-like face, prompting them to slow down.
Over in Essex, one 2023 report from near Margaretting described a driver seeing what appeared to be a legless figure moving across the road in front of their car.
Another driver reported seeing an unexplained white object while travelling along Maldon Road in Colchester during the same year, while a report from Little Hallingbury described a floating figure appearing close to Church Road and causing a motorist to brake.
The Paranormal Database brings together reports from sources including published media, historical records and submissions made directly by members of the public.
Ben Welham, motoring expert at Cinch, which analysed more than 1,100 of the phantom files, said: “Whether you believe in ghosts or not, seeing something you can’t explain while you’re driving would be enough to catch anyone off guard.
“Some of the stories have been around for decades, while others have been submitted much more recently, so it’s clear they still capture people’s imagination. It’ll be interesting to see if any new sightings are reported this Halloween.
“With darker evenings now setting in, drivers are also more likely to be travelling in conditions where shapes and movement can be harder to judge, particularly on rural or unfamiliar roads. Giving yourself enough time and space to react safely is important, whatever you think you might have seen.”
The 10 UK areas with the most haunted road reports are:
1. Wiltshire – 57
2. Dorset – 51
3. Essex – 50
4. Suffolk – 45
5. Somerset – 43
6. Kent – 40
7. Sussex – 40
8. Norfolk – 39
9. North Yorkshire – 38
10. Greater London – 32
