GHOSTS are alive and well in Warwick district – and some of them are out to scare.
Ghosthunter Duncan James has spent years pursuing the paranormal with his company Spirits Alive.
The father-of-three from Leamington carries out vigils at spooked historic sites locally and at homes of residents keen to discover if they are not alone at home.
And recently he has had a number of incidents with malevolent ghosts – being punched in the chest by one, having a phone hurled by another and even having a cat thrown at him.
The lead investigator told the Observer: “At the start of the year at a guest’s house it was obvious the ghost did not want me there. The guest’s cat literally came out of nowhere and was thrown.
“Sometimes I can be pushed by the spirit or made to feel unwelcome in the house.”
But not all of the spirits he meets are looking to scare.
He said: “We regularly have a spirit come through who is connected to the land in north Leamington. He claims to have been badly burned in a house fire many years ago when the land was a farm. He’s a charming young man who enjoys communicating with us but refuses to cross over as he longs for his love to find him.
“We always get the feeling when he is about because the room fills with the stench of burnt skin. It’s a horrid smell but always a pleasure to talk to him and he enjoys communicating with the guests.”
And 43 year-old Duncan – who has has been interested in the paranormal since a young age – says one of the most haunted places he has ever been to is right here in Warwick.
When investigating Guys Cliffe House – which has a history dating back to the fifth century – he heard bells ringing in servants quarters, bells which do not even exist anymore.
There were also shadows moving, stones being thrown and even the sound of a horse and cart rolling across the drive at 2am.
He also says Victoria House is haunted by a former sailor and he has heard eerie chanting in the hallways.
But Duncan does not think Halloween is a more likely time to come into contact with a spirit, and believes they can be there whenever they like.
He told the Observer: “People say that Halloween is when the spirit world is closest but in my experience activity can occur at anytime.
“People tend to do more on Halloween but for every event I run, no two are the same. One where we had a lot of spirit presence was on a joint vigil with Leamington ghost hunters Grays Encounters and TJ Hauntings. We believe it was the first time three separate teams have come together to contact the spirit world and we even had ghosts throwing stones on request.”
Spirits Alive run private, group and charity events.
Visit spiritsalive.co.uk to find out more.
Duncan uses a devices that measures minute electro static changes in the air at Victoria House. Picture by Jon Mullis 14.014.016.leam.jm1
Duncan says Guys Cliffe House in Warwick is one of the most haunted he has ever visited. (s)
Sam, who works for Spirits Alive, uses a ouija board for her paranormal investigations. (s)
