Wednesday, November 3, 2004

By NAOMI CANTON

THREE spiritualist mediums were thrown out of a Halloween party in a stately home after they tried to disrupt it. Organisers of the Fright Night at Somerleyton Hall, near Lowestoft, on Saturday, evicted the three mediums at midnight after they tried to take over a séance.

Emma Clemens looks for spooky goings on in the cellar at Somerleyton Hall.

The trio had arrived under the disguise of guests but spent the evening handing out their own business cards, argu-ing with the spiritualist mediums present and even trying to take over the séance in the attic.

A total of 100 people paid £50 each to go round the haunted hall and gardens accompanied by two mediums and two paranormal investigators on a ghost-busting mission.

The event, the first held ever at the impressive hall, was hailed a massive success after scores of guests sensed ghosts and apparitions.

But the three rival mediums initially tried to ruin the event.

Richard Buckland, leading spiritualist medium, a member of the Spiritualist National Union, who organised the event, said the last straw came when he left the attic and the rival mediums started holding their own séance.

"We made the decision they should leave because they were arguing with people, disagreeing with scientific facts and saying we were disrespecting the spirits.

"They called themselves mediums but I did not pick up any vibrations they were. I have never heard of them. They came up with two names of ghosts in the cellar but there are no spirits in there. It's just a very creepy place.

"They were picking up sprits that have no relevance to the place. Their aim was to ruin the night."

Danny Hewitt, commercial director of the Somerleyton Estate, said the man and two women constantly questioned things, and heckled and criticised what the actual mediums running the event were doing.

"They saw the hall was a marvellous venue for something like this and it was probably a threat to their business," he said.

"They run a similar sort of evening in other parts of Norfolk and Suffolk.
At the beginning of the evening they told us they were mediums.

"It was very calculated of them as they came as paying guests.

"They were arguing with people and generally tried to turn the evening sour.

I was concerned at the beginning of the evening they might try and ruin the evening. It was a tough decision to ask them to leave early but we took it after consultation with the people there.

"We had two paranormal investigators there. But they surprised we were trying to put a scientific slant on everything.

"As the evening went on they made themselves more and more unpopular," he said.

But he said luckily the organisers asked the three mediums to leave everyone else had a great time. The party went on until 4am.

"Lots of people had different things happening to them. Lots of people had red blotches appearing on their arms and faces," Mr Hewitt said.

"Some people saw a lady on the grand piano. Three groups saw images on the main staircase. Everyone had a story to tell."

He added: "The house is not known to be haunted. Even though the staff and visitors have sensed things the family had never experienced anything."

Due to the popularity of the party, a second Fright night is set to take place on November 20. To book a ticket call 0871 222 4244.

The hall has never been subject to any form of paranormal investigation before, but there are many reports of ghosts in the gardens and rooms in the hall.

There are claims that no human or animal will dare enter one of the rooms at the very top of the house.

There are also stories of a character called Samuel stalking some of the corridors.

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