Bosses at a Surrey theme park have relocated one of its new rides after workers reported ghostly goings-on at the site.

Workers claimed to have experienced supernatural thrills on the new ride

Staff building the water ride at Thorpe Park said they had encounted several strange phenomena, including what appeared to be a headless monk.

There were reports of objects being moved, workers feeling like someone was watching over their shoulders and sudden cold feelings being experienced.

A paranormal detection agency was called in by park bosses to carry out tests and found that an ancient burial ground or settlement could have been disturbed.

Managers at the theme park decided to relocate the ride to another area and also called in a forensic team to carry out further investigations.

Storm Surge, a 20m- (64ft-) tall water ride at Thorpe Park, was originally meant to have been built in an area on the site known as Monk's Walk.

The old footpath has linked the ruins of nearby Chertsey Abbey to Thorpe Church since the year 666 AD.

The ride's foundations would have been over 15m (49ft) deep in an area of the theme park where stone coffins have previously been excavated.

Paranormal expert Jim Arnold, who carried out tests at the site, said: "Results were picked up immediately, with orbs, ghostly images in photography and ouija reaction results being strongest around the site where they were proposing to build Storm Surge.

"The results were so strong we felt the only explanation could be that an ancient burial ground or settlement was being disturbed, prompting the extra paranormal activity."

Peter Masters investigating an area of the theme park in Surrey

Forensic geophysicist Peter Masters has now been called in to analyse the site, using deep ground radar.

He said: "From the preliminary investigations, we have picked up signatures similar to that of a burial ground - possibly ancient.

"Although this could simply be an old building, with Thorpe Park's history the investigation is definitely worth continuing."