But in the 1970s, the plaque mysteriously vanished and nobody knew where it was... until now.

A group of urban explorers have started a campaign to get the spooky skulls put back in their rightful place, after finding the heads in a hidden corner of Buslingthorpe, one mile north of the city centre.

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The memorial was made in the 18th century after two olden-day draft dodgers soldiers suddenly died in the stables of The Crown and Fleece, near the Corn Exchange. Their ghosts are said to haunt the building, which is now a takeaway.

Phill Davison, founder of the Leeds Historical Expedition Society (LHES), said: "Bit by bit we all found the pieces of the jigsaw.

"The whole story of the skulls has become lost in the mists of time and while York actively promotes its tales of ghosts and its gory past, we in Leeds have nothing like this at all.

"The Secret Leeds gang feel it is only right and proper to have these skulls placed near to their original site, in a public place with a plaque telling the story."

The campaign is a joint initiative between the LHES and members of Secret Leeds, in particular Chris Mallinson, who has written to the Leeds Civic Trust and the Yorkshire Archaelogy Society about the find.

The skulls first appeared in the 18th century, after two men hid in the stables of The Crown and Fleece to avoid being called up into the army. While hiding, they suffocated in the hay loft. The plaque was created as a memorial.

The pub closed in the 1930s but the carved skulls remained on the wall until 1974, when they vanished.

They were recently found at the back of a building in Buslingthorpe, on the corner of Scott Hall Road and Buslingthorpe Lane.

Leeds Civic Trust director Dr Kevin Grady said: "I think this is extremely interesting and I would be fascinated to receive any more information that the group can provide.

"The skulls will probably be a minor aspect of the city's heritage and I think people would enjoy knowing about them. As to whether anything more can be done, other than simply noting that these skulls exist, remains to be seen."

suzanne.mctaggart@ypn.co.uk