Derek Acorah - Ghost Hunting with Derek Acorah

Household candles should also be included in the kit, as the flickering of their flames may reveal a spirit presence. Checks should be made prior to starting the investigation to ensure that there are no draughts which could cast doubt over the cause of a flickering flame. Of course lit candles must never be left unattended purely from a safety point of view.

Prior to the investigation a raid on the kitchen cupboard should be made to acquire a bag of ordinary flour. When sprinkled over the floor this will reveal any footprints—or handprints, if sprinkled on a tabletop. A small soft brush should be used to distribute the flour over the desired area. Care should always be taken when investigating a property owned by another person and it may well be a good idea to spread the flour over sheets of old newspaper.

Walkie-talkies or two-way radios are a good way for investigators to keep in touch with one another during an investigation. If you are contemplating splitting up into groups, or even going off individually whilst investigating a location, it is always a good idea to be able to contact your fellow investigators.

A Thermometer

A thermometer is a must in order to detect fluctuations in the temperature of a room. I have seen large green-house-type thermometers used, but of course the serious ghost hunter will invest in a digital thermometer which gives the exact temperature on an ‘easy to read’ digital display.

An electro-magnetic field or EMF meter is worth acquiring. These measure fluctuations in electro-magnetic energy. Parapsychologists and paranormal investigators are of the general opinion that spirits cause such fluctuations.

When investigating a property using an EMF meter, all sources of electricity, i.e. cabling, and all electrical devices must be carefully noted, as such items also generate electro-magnetic fields. Any fluctuations displayed on the EMF meter should then be checked against the location of the electrical wiring. Once all such electricity sources have been established, anything registering over 2.5 milligauss on the EMF meter indicates a possible ghostly presence. I have found, however, that EMF meters are not always capable of delivering an accurate indication of a spirit presence.

Some ghost hunters favour the use of dowsing rods and pendulums. It is alleged that both devices can pick up the electro-magnetic energy field of a ghost.

Dowsing has been in use for many years. In ancient times, a ‘Y’-shaped stick would be used to trace underground water sources. Today people tend to use a pair of specially prepared dowsing rods made of thick wire. Each rod is a basic ‘L’ shape but with a shorter foot and a longer upright. A rod is taken in each hand, with the shorter length held firmly in each fist and the longer end sticking straight out in front. Upon reaching an area of psychic activity, the rods will begin to swing wildly and cross over each other. Before attributing a dowsing rod reaction to paranormal activity, however, checks should be made to ensure there are no underground streams or other sources of water in the area.

It is said that most paranormal activity takes place in areas where many ley lines are present or at the junction of ley lines, so if investigators are aware of the location of these lines, they will have a clearer idea of where to commence their dowsing. To discover where these lines run, initially investigators would have to make enquiries of people at the locations or conduct prior research. They could of course spend many long hours walking backwards and forwards trying to determine the route of ley lines, but that could well be a complete waste of time as they could find that they had simply been following the route of an underground stream or water source.

Pendulums may also be used in psychic investigations. A pendulum is a length of cord which is attached to either a small weight constructed from wood or metal or, as is my preference, a small quartz crystal suspended from a light chain approximately seven or eight inches in length. Hold the end of the chain, allowing the pendulum to hang straight down. The pendulum must be completely still. It must then be asked to indicate ‘yes’ and ‘no’. It will respond by either revolving in a clockwise or an anticlockwise direction; it may swing from side to side or backwards and forwards. It is up to each individual to establish the relevant response and its meaning, as these can differ from person to person.

Once you have established the relevant pendulum reactions for ‘yes’ and ‘no’, you can ask the pendulum many questions. It can also be used to locate psychically active areas in much the same way as dowsing rods. It will swing or spin more and more rapidly as it comes closer to psychic energy or a spirit presence.

Not all investigators use dowsing rods or pendulums, but they can add an interesting element to paranormal investigations.

A tape recorder is a definite must, both to record events during séances and to place at strategic points within the location in order to record possible spirit activity. Over the years there have been some very interesting cases of ‘electronic voice phenomenon’, where people have claimed that they have caught spirit voices on tape.

Cameras are another essential, though the choice of camera is of course a personal preference. There is an argument that people will only capture ‘orbs’ (the first manifestation of spirit presence), or ‘life lights’ as I prefer to call them, using a digital camera. I, however, have found this not to be the case. When my wife has accompanied me on investigations and has taken photographs using both digital and ordinary flash cameras, orbs have been captured with both camera types, together with many other examples of spirit activity.

At least one video camera together with a tripod really is a necessity. This may be placed in a locked-off position in a room in an effort to capture evidence of spirit presence. This may take the form of floating orbs, ectoplasm or, in rare cases, movement of furniture or other items. If two or three video cameras can be positioned in the same room, clearly surveying the whole area, so much the better. Should any movement take place, the fact that it is filmed from all angles can prove that there was no human interference. It is unfortunate that on certain occasions the movement of an object has been captured on film but because only one camera has been used there has always been the argument that ‘somebody moved it’—that ‘somebody’ being a solid and earthly person.

It has long been stated that man’s best friend is his dog. A ghost hunter’s best friend can be a dog too!

All animals are psychic. It is not by chance that a pet cat or dog will know exactly when its owner is due to walk through the front door. I have received numerous communications from people telling me that their beloved cat or dog ‘always knows’ when they are about to arrive home, even though they have not been following a regular pattern of behaviour. Gwen has often told me that she knows that I will be arriving home shortly because the dogs will walk over to the kitchen door and sit there waiting. I too have noticed that should Gwen be away from the home, I can put the kettle on when one of our cats stations himself on the window ledge to peer at the front gate.

Stories abound of animals who have alerted their owners to unseen presences in their homes. There have also been numerous tales of guard dogs refusing to enter certain parts of properties. One such story involves a security guard and his dog who used to regularly patrol St. John’s Centre in Liverpool. The dog was a large black German Shepherd named Sabre, who was known for his fearlessness when dealing with intruders. However, there was one part of the shopping mall that Sabre refused to visit. He would strain at his lead, bark and growl when encouraged to walk there. It was a spot where an unfortunate accident had taken place during the construction of the centre. A young builder had fallen to his death and his spirit was known to revisit the scene.