WALKING under a ladder on Friday the 13th seems a sure fire way to invite bad luck into your life.

But some people in Old Town were undaunted when faced with a ladder placed squarely in their path despite coming across it on an inauspicious day.

Eileen Harris, 60, of York Road, sauntered leisurely under the ladder as she made her way down Victoria Road.

She said: "I wasn't really bothered. What's going to happen is going to happen isn't it?

"I did think about it before I walked under but I was more worried that something would fall on me as opposed to being superstitious."

Mark Newman, 37, of Marlborough, was not so blas about the effect his actions could have on fate. He made a marked detour around the ladder just to make sure lady luck would remain on his side.

He said: "Well you have to have a open mind about these sort of things. I believe there are forces that we don't quite know about and it is better to be safe than sorry."

The ladder was being used by employees of Bushton and Ferris who were painting the fascias of a property in Victoria Road.

Foreman Chris Rudman, 40, said: "It's about 50-50, the number of people who walk under and the people who avoid it. We are warning people to be careful and we are being very cautious today as well."