Recently, I was asked to help promote an event in aid of a very deserving cause indeed, the charity Children Today.

The group wants youngsters with disabilities to have the equipment or services that aid their daily lives.

They say there are about 390,000 disabled people under 16 in the UK, with 100,000 of them having more than one disability.

The charity adds that there is no statutory right for young people with disabilities to be provided with the equipment they need by the Government or the NHS.

All the more need, then, for the following event to have your full support.

On Saturday July 11, Children Today will be teaming up with Ghost Whisperers Paranormal Investigations to carry out a live ghost hunt at one of the region's most haunted locales – the Castle Keep, Newcastle.

I've taken part in more vigils there than I can count, and it's given me one or two spooky experiences.

The event takes place between 10pm and 4am.

It will, according to the press release, include 'a ghost hunt with a psychic medium, vigils, experiments, EVP and more'.

EVP stands for Electronic Voice Phenomena and refers to the recording of disembodied sounds and voices that have no rational origin.

Castle Keep is one of the best places I know for making such recordings. One colleague of mine made a recording of what sounds like a Gregorian chant, and I once recorded the sound of a creaky door slamming shut.

What made the latter recording so remarkable is that the door had been removed years before.

Ceri Ward, from Children Today, told me: "Nothing is staged, so we can't guarantee activity, but Castle Keep is more than 800 years old and littered with history.

"Who knows what supernatural beings you might bump into?"

Local fundraiser Elizabeth Oakes added: "Come and join us for what promises to be a frightfully eventful evening.

"The money raised from taking part will improve the lives of disabled youngsters."

The event really promises to be a golden ghost-hunting opportunity not to be missed.

All participants must be aged 18 or over.

Whether you are brave enough to come on your own or bring a group of friends, all you need to do to book your place on this event is call the Children Today fundraising office on 01244 335 622.

We need to remember that, although the event will be great fun and, hopefully, scare the pants off a few of the participants, the real motivation is to raise money for a truly deserving cause.

For this reason, there is a £10 registration fee and those who take part will be expected to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship.

By my reckoning, that works out at about £10 per ghost, so it's good value for money.

For more information about the Children Today Charitable Trust, visit www.children-today.org.uk

Visit www.mikehallowell.com/wraithscape for more stories.