A Southville woman is preparing to be spooked by staying in a haunted house this Halloween.

Kirsty Hemming will be spending the night with the ghosts and ghouls in a manor house that dates back to the 14th century.

The film-maker will be testing her nerves so she can raise money for dementia charity Brace (Bristol Research into Alzheimer's and Care of the Elderly) in memory of her grandparents.

Her grandmother, Marguerite, had dementia and eventually had to move into a nursing home, leaving her husband Reginald living alone. They both died last year.

Miss Hemming, 27, will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in February for the charity but has also arranged a host of other fundraising events in support of the charity.

She said: "My grandparents have prompted me to do all the fundraising.

"I know that when my grandmother was diagnosed there was not a lot of information about dementia and that is how I came across Brace, and I thought I would raise money for them.

"I have been really amazed by the work and research they do.

"I like the fact that they also look at care as well.

"I wanted to do something pretty big. Climbing Kilimanjaro seemed like a real challenge."

She will be spending the night at Burton Court in Leominster, Herefordshire, near where her grandparents lived.

The haunted manor is reported to be home to poltergeists and a host of ghosts.

There have been sightings of strange lights, reports of a moaning sound from the servants' quarters and claims of items moving around.

Miss Hemming, who will be joined by her boyfriend Richard Nicholls and some other friends, said: " I am really into anything to do with the paranormal, but I have never done anything like this before and will be putting my money where my mouth is.

"Apparently there is a lot that goes on there.

"It is a very active place. I hope I don't get too spooked."

Miss Hemming has already started her training for the 6,000m ascent of Kilimanjaro and climbed a Scottish mountain this week as part of her efforts.

To find out more, visit www.kirstyclimbskili.com or www.justgiving.com/kirstyclimbskili.