Brits intrigued by ghostly goings on

We are a nation of Derek Acorah’s! 60 per cent of Brits believe in ghosts, despite only a quarter of us having actually seen one. A spooky survey of 1000 people, carried out by holiday company cottages4you, shows that ghosts intrigue rather than scare us with nearly two thirds actively seeking ghostly goings on.

The frightful findings show that 46 per cent of us even rely on supernatural sources to help with life decisions, with men twice as likely to be influenced by a Ouija board as women, who prefer the more interactive advice of tarot card readers and spiritualists.

And with Halloween falling in half term this year, one in ten families are planning a weekend break to spot some spooks , with cottages4you reporting an increase in bookings especially in the UK’s most spookiest towns including York and Edinburgh.

Women are the biggest believers (66 per cent) and it seems British spooks favour setting up home in the South West, which has seen the most ghostly goings on (30 per cent). Of those who have had an eerie experience, 70 per cent have seen something, while 17 per cent felt a strange presence and a handful claim to have smelt a ghost!

Dr. Ciarán O’Keeffe, parapsychologist and star of Living TV’s Most Haunted, said: “As a nation we are fascinated with searching out the supernatural. 72 per cent of people believe night is the optimum time to see ghosts, but whether this points to a peak in genuine ghostly activity or a time when people are most prone to misinterpretation, for example as a result of tiredness or poor lighting, is not clear.

“There is much debate on creating the perfect conditions for paranormal activity, but hopefully some tips will help maximise opportunities for sightings for budding Brit spook spotters!”

It appears the best place for spending Halloween this year is the North of England, where 55 per cent of the population will be celebrating by decorating pumpkins, watching scary films or attending Halloween parties. For those wanting to get the best treats, avoid the South East, where 30 per cent of people don't agree with it and won’t be offering ghoulish goodies to trick or treaters.

Nick Rudge, vice president of cottages4you, said: “With over 9,000 properties, ranging from mysterious mansion houses, smugglers cottages and converted chapels, cottages4you has the perfect place to spend a spine-chilling short break and do a spot of ghost hunting!”

For more information on ghostly goings on or to book a haunted holiday, visit cottages4you.co.uk.

Ciarán O’Keeffe has compiled his top five tips for spooky sightings:

1) Don’t get a good rest the night before

2) Believe that you will see a ghost

3) Make sure it is dark (turn off lights!)

4) Make sure location is remote

5) Choose a spooky place! (and learn all about its creepy history!)