ON February 26, 1964, a group of students gathered at an old Tudor building to pick their football pools numbers using an unusually spooky method.

They conducted a séance, calling on a spirit called George to give them the winning numbers.

The séance was recorded by British Pathe and now the company is appealing for the film's stars to come forward.

The footage shows students Steve Dodgeon, David Jackson, Adge Staniforth, Tony Smare, Eric Nelson and Brian Bates.

They were all students at the Staffordshire College of Technology and they conducted the séance gathered around a table at the Ancient High House in Stafford.

The film was recorded by Pathe to be used in a cinema news reel. Pathe archivists are now hoping the men still live in the area and will recognise their younger selves or that their families will get in touch. Jack Cullen, who is working to promote the company's new online archive, which went live two months ago, came across the video while searching for footage after a request from BBC Radio Stoke.

See the Pathe News archive video

He said: "It's a great archive video, with some really fantastic styles and haircuts from the period.

"We have lots of clips from the area connected with the pottery industry but this caught my eye because it is such a quirky bit of film.

"We'd like to chat to the people in this clip about any memories they have of its recording, or anyone who knows anything about it. These lads would be in their 60s and 70s now."

In the film, the group call out to the spirit as they place their fingers on an upturned glass, which moves to numbered cards positioned in a circle on the table. When a number is picked Brian crosses them off on the pools coupon.

Built in 1595, the Ancient High House is said to be haunted by travel author George Borrow, who stayed there in the early 19th Century.

Charles I also once stayed there in 1642 at the start of the English Civil War. The following year, when Stafford was taken over by the Parliamentarians, it became a prison for Royalist officers.

The footage is one of 90,000 archived films which Pathe has digitised and made available for the public to view free online.

The vast archive of film reel is kept underground at Pinewood Studios in London.

Alastair White, manager of the archive, said: "Decades before Derren Brown was bringing séances to the screen Pathe news were ahead of their time, filming these lads in Stafford.

"According to the canister notes they won the pools twice so I imagine that attracted the Pathe team to film them in action."

If anyone recognises the men in the film or has any information, contact The Sentinel on 01782 602545.