A GROUP of teenagers visiting a haunted building were prepared to meet some unexpected guests – but when Robbie Williams walked in they thought they had seen a ghost.

Youngsters from the city council-run Reach4It project were visiting the notoriously spooky Leopard Hotel in Burslem for a Halloween tour, when the superstar singer popped in for a seance.

Robbie, who is back visiting his Potteries roots for a few days, satisfied his new-found interest in the paranormal with a ghost tour of the hotel, which has been featured on TV's Most Haunted.

And when he heard the group of 15 teenagers and four staff from Reach4It – a project aiming to get youngsters into education, employment and training – were there too, Robbie decided to join them.

After hearing about their good work, the international celebrity, who was with mum Jan Williams and girlfriend Ayda Field, even insisted on paying their £200 bill for food, drink and the tour.

Youth worker Camille Brown said: "We didn't tell the young people Robbie might be there in case he didn't turn up, but when he walked in they were really shocked.

"They were running up to him asking for autographs and pictures. Robbie was great, he was very interested in our project asking lots of questions.

"One of the young people explained how she had taken part in the project and gone on to work for the council as a peer mentor, and Robbie congratulated her, shaking her hand.

"Another couldn't resist asking a question about Take That and he said he was on good terms with the others now and had seen them just three weeks ago."

As well as spotting a celebrity, the group reported experiencing poltergeists slamming doors and floating lights. And Steve Winmill, another youth worker, said the famous visitor had inspired the young people, who join the project aged 16 to 18.

He said: "Robbie taking an interest in our project has given us a huge boost.

"One problem we find with young people is there's no pride in their city. But someone local who has gained international success putting aside some time to come and speak to them, you could see what it meant to them in their faces.

"The point of the project is to try to convince them they can achieve. We even use Robbie Williams as an example as a local lad done good, so for him to turn up brought it home.

"They were asking why Robbie would bother coming back to Stoke-on-Trent, but afterwards one of the girls said the experience had changed her because she had realised Stoke-on-Trent is worth something."