I’M SITTING in a dark, dingy cupboard in the early hours of the morning,
cloaked in deathly silence.
Suddenly a teddy bear bursts into life, lighting up, with an eerie voice
asking: “Do you want to play?”
But apparently it’s not an innocent pre-programmed request from a toy — it’s
the deranged spirits of children who died in this spot many years ago.
I’ve joined a paranormal investigation of one of Britain’s most haunted
houses, known simply as “The Hostel”, in Hull, East Yorks.
The creepy seven-bedroom house is said to have, at one time, served as a home
for terminally ill children.
But for the past five years it has been empty, because no one has dared spend
more than a few days between its walls.
Police are even said to have become believers after spotting faces in what
they knew to be an empty property, venturing in — and finding nobody.
Owner Andy Yates, 50, has been unable to find a tenant for the cursed
property, which is “alive with spirits” according to paranormal experts.
He explained: “I’ve tried to rent the house out a couple of times but the
longest anyone has lasted is four days.
“Some people couldn’t return after measuring the house up for furniture.
“I once saw a child’s shadow come out of the fireplace and hover for about 15
minutes. When I was living in the house by myself, I came downstairs to find
steak knives balanced on the plates in the drying rack.
“The cupboard under the stairs is quite notorious as well, with lots of
mediums saying they believe children had been locked up there.”
Even builders called in to do repair work have been put off by the presence of
other-worldly residents.
Wheelie bin cleaner Andy said: “People are just spooked as soon as they walk
in the door. I had the builders in the other week to try to smarten it up.
“I came round after work and there was no sign of them. They’d scarpered and
left their equipment.
“When I called them they told me that I could keep their stuff — there was no
way they were coming back.”
A previous owner once called the police after she was “dragged out of bed” by
spirits lurking in the house.
Andy moved out in 2007 because his pregnant partner was so petrified by the
ghosts she refused to bring a baby into the property.
Unsurprisingly, the notorious dwelling, which looms forebodingly above
neighbouring houses on Hull’s De Grey Street, is proving popular with one
bunch — ghost hunters.
Jolene Lockwood, 37, and Clare Burrows, 34, run a firm called Phantasmic
Paranormal Events and hold sell-out spirit-monitoring sessions at the
macabre site from £45 a head.
Clare said: “We host groups of 20 to 50 people and the investigations go on
all night.”
My mind swimming with the frightening tales of the property, I embark on my
own one-man tour and investigation of The Hostel — making The Sun the first
newspaper to visit the haunted dwelling.
To begin with, I’m asked if I want to take part in an opening vigil.
Explaining why I should, Jo says: “I was strangled last time I was here. A lot
of our guests don’t understand the paranormal, you can end up taking spirits
home with you.”
Starting to believe the hype, I say yes, joining hands with Jo and the
cameraman as Clare places a protective spell over us.
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That’s when things start to go wrong — badly.
Cameraman Tom’s equipment starts to malfunction, the flash firing randomly
during our séance, punctuating the gloom with startling stabs of light.
Baffled, he insists it has never done that before. In the past, numerous
visitors have reported their smartphone batteries draining suddenly, leaving
them without any means of ringing for help.
I’m truly creeped out as Jo announces that we’ve been joined by a spirit who
is standing directly behind me. My blood runs cold as I feel a breeze on my
back.
Next to me, Andy reports a tightness around his neck and my heart drops when
Clare nods sagely and reveals that there have been reports of at least two
hangings in the house.
Not much is known about the history of the property, but various mediums and
clairvoyants have pointed to a host of child spirits roaming around.
They believe the children were brought here to be cared for when terminally
ill, then tortured, raped and killed.
At least one, we’re told, was drowned. Another died from a blow to the head.
It’s their tormented souls who roam the creaking corridors.
In the middle of our circle is a “spirit box” — a dual-frequency radio used by
ghost adventurers to hear the voices of spirits — and a meter that detects
electromagnetic radiation.
Suddenly, both crackle into life.
Over the radio a child’s voice is heard, dipping in and out but with the words
“Peter” and “13” unmistakeable.
As we pry for more information, the spirit tells us to “shut up” and
disappears.
Next door, in another dimly lit bedroom, we engage in what is known as table
tipping, where we challenge the spirits to harness human energy to move a
small table while the group rest their fingers lightly on its top.
As the table starts to spin, what is left of my sceptical side disappears.
Something is definitely going on. The table could not be moving by the power
of our fingers alone.
Rocking and swaying, revolving rapidly, it is all I can do to keep up with the
table.
Others laugh nervously, some gasp and scream. I am still reeling when Jo and
Clare invite me to sit in the cupboard under the stairs with the teddy bear
which has a gadget inside it that illuminates it when it comes into contact
with spirits.
As they close the door, they reveal that this claustrophobic space was said to
have been where dying children were banished and locked away, making it a
hotspot of activity.
I sit in solemn silence for several minutes until, suddenly, the bear bursts
into life, asking me if I want to play. A cold shiver runs down my spine.
Calmly, I pretend to laugh it off, before breaking for freedom.
It is 4am. I’ve been here since 8pm and now I’ve had enough.
As I make my getaway from The Hostel, I look up at the top window and, just
for a second, see a small boy waving me goodbye.
I ain’t afraid of no ghosts — but I think I’ll leave the ghostbusting to the
experts in future.