Folklorist T. H. Thomas recounts a tale of a man walking between Canton and Leckwith one night pre-1904. During his walk he was joined by a man he described as “silent” and who “dogged his footsteps and gazed at him imploringly”. The walker became irritated by his silent and unwelcome companion, and even shouted at him, eventually asking this stranger what he wanted. It was only then did the strange companion talk, stating that he was dead and could not rest till his head was buried! He further commented that he was a boatman in life, and his head was lying somewhere on the banks of the Ely River - being used as a football by devils!

 

The walker decided that he should help the man, and following the ghost’s directions, he found the deceased’s skull being used by some people as the spirit had said, being kicked about in some bizarre game of soccer. He duly rescued the skull and dug a grave for it, whereby the spirit “went out like smoke”.