The Painted Ones

Youngsters called "Pintados", translated as "Painted Ones", cover themselves in oil and ash to ward off evil spirits and parade through the village of San Nicolas de los Ranchos, 100kms east of Mexico.

This tradition, celebrated in the town located at the feet of Popocatépetl volcano (smoking hill, in Nahuatl language sees young people running in the streets to drive away the bad spirits before Carnival.

Every person must give some change to “the Painted ones” and if someone refuses, he or she will be embraced and stained with the painting from the Painted ones.

'Roman Soldier ghost' caught on camera?

A group of amateur film-makers believe they may have proof that ghosts really do exist after one of them caught something strange on camera.

George Gunn said he captured pictures of a ghostly apparition while out walking along a footpath in Outwood, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Mr Gunn, a member of Outwood Community Video Club, said he thought the figure looked like that of a Roman soldier. He said he had heard tales of ghosts being seen in the area. But he added: "I still don't believe in them." 'Something peculiar' The apparition appears to be still in the footage, but fades momentarily as two people jog through it.

Mr Gunn did not notice the figure until he reviewed his film later in the day. Mr Gunn said: "I've had the camera for quite a while now and I have never had any problems with lighting or sun glare or anything like that. "There is something peculiar about it."

Mike Hooley, who is also a member of the video club, said: "George rang me up and said: 'Do you believe in ghosts?' "I said 'no' and I still don't but when I saw the film I was quite amazed really."

Members of the video club are now planning to do their own research into whether there were any Roman settlements in the area.

.. from the bbc