As Halloween approaches Gloucester-based Ecclesiastical has compiled a list of creepy claims - dug up from its archives - for our pleasure.

We have to thank the some might say the fittingly named David Bonehill and his team of claims handlers for these amusing tales.

• Bats in the Belfry: After a particularly dark and stormy night, a churchwarden in Pembrokeshire climbed up to the belfry to fix a loose tile and came face-to-face with a colony of long-eared bats, who had made the roof their home.

• Flickering lights and leaky pipes: When lights started flickering and damp patches appeared on the walls, a couple thought their house was haunted. The 'supernatural' presence turned out to be a very persistent rat, which was chewing its way through the cables and water pipes.

• Don't let the Bed Bugs Bite! A couple bit off more than they could chew after claiming they had suffered bites while staying at an insured's property. The owners could sense that the couple were itching to get their hands on some compensation and, after a thorough 'infestigation' revealed no sign of bed bugs on the property, the complaint was quickly squashed.

• Oh Beehive! A couple from found themselves in a sticky situation when they discovered a huge bees' nest in their loft. The damp patch on the ceiling caused quite a buzz in the local area as it turned out to be honey seeping through the ceiling.

• Nothing false about this claim: Children at a nursery in London didn't need to spin a web of lies to get out of class after a nest of false widow spiders was discovered. The creepy crawlies forced the nursery to close sending parents in to a spin as they had to come and collect their children while an exterminator was called to tackle the problem.

"From bats in the belfry to bees in the loft, as a specialist insurer we've seen the impact that all manner of creatures can have on our customers' properties," said Mr Bonehill.

"When you work with and insure older properties, you often come across things that go bump in the night and creepy critters are just part of the job.

"Thankfully our experienced team of claims handlers don't scare that easily."