A man claims to have had a ghostly encounter with a Victorian-style spectre on Hampstead Heath.

Actor Andy Sykes, 35, said he was filming a test commercial with a friend in the early hours of Monday morning when they saw the middle-aged, female apparition walk towards them on Parliament Hill.

Andy said: “We were sat on a bench looking out on the city at around 6.30, so it was just getting light.

“We heard the noise of wind chimes, and there was an overpowering, acrid smell, like incense or something.

“We both looked over to the left, because that was where the sound was coming from, and there was a woman walking towards us, as though she was coming over to ask us directions or something.

“She was dressed in a bonnet and had a red shawl and a long dress, so Victorian-style.

“My friend and I both saw her, as clear as anything, probably for about five seconds. Then she just disappeared.”

Andy said he has never previously had any supernatural experiences, but is open-minded when it comes to the existence of ghosts.

“Me and my friend both described the woman in exactly the same way to each other, except for one thing. He saw the shawl as green and I saw it as red. My friend cannot accept it was a ghost, though, so he is searching for a more logical explanation.

“Before seeing this one, I wouldn’t say I believed in ghosts, exactly, but I am open to the idea that there might be more to this life than we know.”

Andy said that, at 6.30 in the morning, no drink had been taken by either himself or his friend.

The actor, who lives in Belsize Park, has appeared in TV shows including Shameless, and said he would like to know if anyone else has seen a similar figure wandering in the vicinity of the Heath.

There have been many reported encounters of the spooky kind in Hampstead over the years, with ghost walks on offer for those interested in seeking out the supernatural history of the area.