Two Scottish cities are the spookiest in the UK, a new study has revealed.

There have been 375 paranormal sightings in Edinburgh in the last 25 years and 350 in Glasgow, according to the Paranormal Witness Report.

They include claimed sightings of poltergeists as well as apparitions of people who have recently died.

Author and ghost hunter Christian Jensen Romer analysed reported sightings in the UK over the last 25 years using archives, websites, clippings and his own reports to compile the study.

It was specially commissioned by TV channel Really to mark the UK premiere of the new series of Paranormal Witness, which recounts and recreates real-life unexplained experiences on Thursdays at 9pm.

Mr Jensen Romer said: "Scottish cases in my experience tend to reflect three main types.

"The first are apparitions of recently deceased loved ones, who are reported by people everywhere and these cases are clearly very personal.

"Secondly, there are poltergeist cases, which are still reported in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, though most never make it as far as the news, and end within a few weeks at most, usually with the family moving home.

"However there is also a definite class of the 'Sight', people who have strong premonitions, dreams that they believe foretell the future or seeing people, often loved ones, who are far away at the time, as if they had just walked into the house.

"You might expect these cases to mean that person has just died - in reality they are normally just fine and why they seemingly appeared is never explained. It's important to note that most people who see ghosts never have any bad experiences."

The study also found that women have been more likely to experience paranormal activity.

Mr Jensen Romer added: "The Paranormal Witness Report for Really shows that we are a nation rich in spooky sightings and strange phenomena, and these things can happen to any of us at any time.

"Over the last 25 years, women appear to have been more susceptible to these experiences than men and some cities seem to have been reporting far more of their share."

Nottingham was the third spookiest city in the UK with 300 reported paranormal sightings in the last 25 years, followed by Derby with 180 and Swansea with 155.

The top place for spotting ghosts was bedrooms, with more than a third (36%) seen there, followed by the living room where a fifth (20%) of paranormal activity was experienced, then the back garden (10%) and the bathroom (5%).

The findings also suggest that supernatural sightings are equally divided between daylight and night-time hours, though they have been reported to happen more frequently between the hours of 5pm and 6pm and 9pm and 10pm.

Paranormal Witness will be live streamed from The Old Rectory at Cheam in Surrey, said to be one of the UK's most haunted places, from 8pm to midnight this evening on www.reallytv.co.uk.

Presenter Yvette Fielding will host the event and a live Twitter takeover to answer any questions and report on any shocking sightings using the hashtag #GhostsOnReally.