Terrified Doncaster boxer fled from 'ghost' at new I'm A Celebrity castle

Doncaster born and bred fighter Bruce Woodcock, who was one of Britain's best known boxers in the 1940s and 50s, encountered a ghostly figure while training for a fight at Gwrych Castle in North Wales, which will be setting for the upcoming series of the hit ITV show which has been forced to axe filming in Australia because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Top Doncaster NHS officials warn of covid risk from plan to let spectators into St Leger

Light heavyweight and heavyweight fighter Woodcock, who held the British and Empire heavyweight titles from 1945 to 1950 and was the European heavyweight champion from 1946-49, met his match when he encountered the spectre of the 200-year-old castle’s previous owner, the Countess of Dundonald, who died in 1924.

Locals believe she fell out with caretaker Bill Price, who would lock up the library at night only to find it opened the next morning. Sometimes, items are said to have been mysteriously moved.

Woodcock was training in the castle in 1950, for his world title fight with Lee Savold, when he claims to have seen the ghost of the Countess.

Child's 'bows for NHS' display removed from Doncaster park after complaints

According to the Mail, his sparring partner Ted Greenslade said at the time: "We had walked right round the castle when we came to a lonely path and saw the bent-up figure of a young woman sitting on a fallen tree trunk.

"It looked as though she might be in difficulties, so we went up to her.

"When we got about six yards away she just disappeared. Bruce and I just turned and ran for it."

Ghost-hunters have also claimed to have felt the presence of her and gamekeepers and there have been numerous reports of spooky goings on at the castle near Abergele.

Balby-born Woodcock died in 1997 at the age of 76.

He took up boxing at the age of six and was a schoolboy champion by the age of 12. After his retirement from boxing, he was landlord of The Tumbler pub in Edlington.