GHOSTHUNTERS are appealing for people to suggest new venues to carry out their paranormal investigations.

Members of Stoke Haunted organise overnight events at pubs, houses and hotels all over the country in search of proof of the afterlife.

They now want more places to search for evidence.

Article continues below

Paranormal investigator Jim Evans, aged 37, who is an electrician by day, has been investigating strange happenings for more than 10 years.

The father-of-one from Bucknall said: "I have heard and seen a lot of unbelievable things. In a woman's home we investigated all the batteries in our cameras went flat as soon as we walked in.

"Things were being thrown across the room, a man was pushed down the stairs and things were being moved all around the house.

"I have visited some very unusual places in the search for proof. I've been to farms, hotels and pubs, and even a prison in Anglesey.

"We do not do any of this to make money. It is because people ask us to help them and they want proof. We film in the venue and they get a copy showing what we found. We are always looking for new places to investigate."

The group holds regular meetings at the Red Lion Pub, in Ruxley Road, Bucknall, a listed building which is more than 500 years old.

Anyone interested in gaining more evidence of the spirit world can join or get involved in a investigations.

The Stoke Haunted team uses camera and video equipment to capture the evidence needed to convince people.

They are hoping to hold a search at Caverswall Castle in the near future.

Photographer and video producer Andy Weatherall, aged 45, joined the group 18 months ago and he remains sceptical about the evidence.

He said: "We base a lot of our investigations at the Red Lion but I haven't actually seen anything there myself.

"There is a lot of spiritualist activity where a medium can talk to someone from the other side but I haven't been able to capture anything on video.

"I have some unexplainable footage from the Leopard in Burslem, showing light anomalies and noise but I'm not able to say I believe in ghosts yet.

"We get a lot of our ideas from the television show Most Haunted. I've always been a sceptic but my father was a very spiritual person and before he died in 1989 he said if there was an afterlife he would prove it to me. All my relatives have had strange experiences where they have sensed my dad but I am still looking for that."