In the mid 1700s, trouble was brewing on the streets of Workington, northern England.
Late on a Sunday evening two local men were passing a farmhouse when they heard a chilling scream.
Running to investigate, they saw an indescribable creature with blood dripping from beast-like fangs, chasing a young woman around the room.
The shocked men let out shouts and the creature took off at speed towards Seaton.
They tended to the distressed woman then accompanied her to a Workington tavern, where she told the locals her terrifying tale.
At first they believed it was a suitor overcome with passion who had attacked her, until local blacksmith James Warren spoke up.
He told the gathering crowd of an incident during which the same fiend had attacked his wife, inflicting similar injuries. An angry mob of local men followed the trail, arriving at Seaton shortly after.
As they passed an old cemetery, they saw that some of the graves had been interfered with.
As they got closer they saw coffins open and unspeakable things strewn around.
One coffin had been left untouched but as the men set about re-burying it, an unearthly noise came from inside.
Flinging open the lid, they found the very creature they had sought, clinging to the lid and screeching loudly: “I am the prince of darkness, harm me and you will taste hell's fire.”
The brave men nailed the vampire to a tree and set him alight, putting an end to Workington’s dark visitor.
But legend has it that the nail is still in the tree and anyone who tries to remove it will die a horrible fiery death!
