“Here two young Danish Souldiers lye.

The one in quarrell chanc’d to die;

The others Head, by their own Law,

With Sword was sever’d at one Blow.”

Daniel Straker was viciously killed by fellow Danish soldier Johannes Frederick Bellow following a bloody sword fight in the streets of Beverley in December 1689.

When his dismembered torso fell to the ground, Straker was believed to have been clutching a blood-soaked handkerchief which was bequeathed to him by his beloved wife, Ana, who died some years earlier.

Bellow survived the skirmish and was promptly executed. But as Straker’s severed limbs were removed from the carnage, his grasp became limp and the handkerchief he cherished so dearly disappeared forever.

Until now. Unconfirmed reports of Daniel Straker, in his grieving pursuit of Ana’s handkerchief, have become commonplace, yet without foundation. But this extraordinary footage https://twitter.com/Beverley_Races/status/792822293181427713 taken at Beverley Racecourse on Sunday night conclusively proves beyond all reasonable doubt that Straker’s 327-year journey is over – and that ghosts definitely exist.

A Beverley Racecourse spokesperson, who asked not be named for fear of vengeance from beyond the grave, said her “eyes bled with blind fear” and that she “will never be the same again”.

The spokesperson said: “I had to work late on Sunday for the big launch of next season’s tickets going on sale – available to buy from today, either online or by phone – when I was alerted from outside by a despicable, wailing sound.

“Because of my loyalty to Beverley Racecourse, and also because I was on double-time pay, I decided to investigate.

“Nothing, not even my health-and-safety-in-the-workplace training, could have prepared me for the grisly goings-on that were about to unfold.

“Promising early ticket sales will help heal wounds of essentially being possessed by a handkerchief, but I still intend to write a strongly-worded email to my Human Resources team leader as the infiltration of my person by an evil spirit was definitely not written into my contract.”