The goose is indeed a noble creature, but none nobler than the three-headed ghost goose of Heaton Moor. On the morning of November 24, 1936 - a day said to be accursed in ancient lore - a bizarre abomination hatched on a smallholding in the south of Manchester - a three-headed goose!

The farmer, Thomas Adams, at once struck the creature dead and put it in a bucket. However - when he later came to dispose of the body of the atrocity, it was not to be found!

It is said that the fearsome goose returns as a ghost every year on the anniversary of its birth/death and pecks gently at Thomas Adams' descendents. In November 1968 his granddaughter, Amy Adams, had her ear slightly nibbled.

Local lore has it that the only way to save oneself from the mighty three-headed ghost goose is to chant the following poem:

Let's not be afraid when on the loose
easy, easy - oh great ghost goose

thither and hither I look for you most
there and yonder - tis only a ghost

easy, easy - fly little bird
right, left, up, down - without a word
Good goose, grey goose, ghost goose, go!