ST MARY’S Church in Prestwich is no stranger to fame, having featured in many episodes of television soap Coronation Street, chosen for its grand architecture and attractive scenery.

But the illustrious landmark has now been selected as the perfect setting for an altogether different kind of tale — a terrifying horror story.

Fiction writer Allyson Bird, of Penistone, in Yorkshire, has chosen the churchyard and the neighbouring Church Inn pub as the setting for a short story in her debut book, which has other stories set in such exotic locations as Ancient Greece, present-day America and Pamplona in Spain.

The scary stories in the book, called Bull Running For Girls, will be available in bookshops later this year and has been selling well via the internet.

“I grew up in a place called Clough Walk, near Gardner Road, which is right next to the old Prestwich Lunatic Asylum and with the churchyard right next to such a famous local landmark, it was the perfect place for a horror story,” said Allyson, who is married and has a daughter.

The tale in which Prestwich features, called The Hall of the Mountain King, centres around a young girl called Connie who plays in the churchyard and, from time to time, encounters patients from the asylum out walking. Then one day, things take a nasty twist.

Allyson added: “It’s very much a book for adults and some of the developments are quite graphic as you would expect, but it’s not gratuitous violence.

“I always take a long time to research my stories, though it was slightly easier with this one because of my association with Prestwich.

“My grandfather Edward Shakespeare rang the bells in the church when the Second World War finished and my grandparents and my mother are buried there. My mother went into labour at The Church Inn with me.”

The book has so far enjoyed rave reviews and Allyson said she is hoping locals will also enjoy seeing their neighbourhood in print.

One person who has already been won over by the book is Church Inn landlord Tom Gribben. He said: “It may be a horror story, but all publicity is good publicity as they say.

“Some people say the pub is haunted and we’ve had special ghost-hunting parties call in and a radio station doing a special spooky show recorded here, so this follows the same path.

“This area does have fascinating history with the asylum and the churchyard. I’m looking forward to reading the book.”

Find out more about the book at birdsnest.me.uk