LANDLORD Nils Hughes has vowed to stick with his pub, despite a run of bad luck which has included a kitchen fire and a gas explosion within seven days.

Mr Hughes, who took over The Kings Arms at Monkton Farleigh in May, said it is a nightmare and everything which could go wrong has done so.

Locals have put the unlucky streak down to the pub's ghosts, which include an 11th century monk who died in unusual circumstances, a mysterious bird and a miner who was denied justice when an inquest into his death was held at the pub.

Mr Hughes said: "Everyone says it's the building and it has got a jinx. We are determined to stick it out as long as we can financially, but things like this don't help."

The pub reopened on Friday, October 6, after a kitchen fire forced it to close for seven days, but then a gas explosion and leak on Saturday forced staff and customers to evacuate the packed pub at around 8pm.

The incident is now being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive, environmental health officers and Corgi gas inspectors and the pub will remain closed until it gets the all-clear.

A family fun day at the pub in July sparked off a major search when three-month-old Tamworth boar Bertie escaped from his pen in the garden. He was found safe and well.

The pub had undergone six changes of management in the 12 months prior to Mr Hughes taking over.