Haunted News Building
The Victorian coach house stands on an avenue of ancient trees and there
is something solid and reassuring in its fine redbrick exterior. Nothing
prepares you for what awaits behind the oak front door.
Here, in the heart of the Essex countryside, is the headquarters of
Psychic News - Britain's spookiest newspaper.
Inside this 19th-century building - haunted (somewhat inevitably) by a
young maid who met an unhappy end - a staff of eight men and women devote
their lives to collating reports of communications with the dead.
As you step over the threshold it seems just like a normal office. There
are desks and computers fax machines and photocopiers.
The editor, Lyn Guest de Swarte, a 56-year-old grandmother, escorts me
into her office and plonks herself down behind her leather-topped desk -
the focal point of which is a dazzling Lego model of a flying saucer.
Lyn tells me that, as well as being a journalist, she is also a
spiritualist medium who does readings for her staff.
She then explains that she phoned Psychic News about the editor's job 18
months ago after being harassed all weekend by spirits urging her to get
in touch.
'They were very persistent. They woke me up in the middle of the night and
stood round my bed. In the end I gave in.
'I phoned in the next morning and the woman running the paper at the time
said "Hello Lyn, thanks for getting back to us. You got my letter then."
'It turned out she'd sent a letter to my old address asking me to call
because they needed some help, but I hadn't been round to collect the
post.'
It is worth mentioning here that while Lyn is editor, there is also a
'editor in spirit' - Psychic News's equivalent of Rupert Murdoch- who is
credited in every issue.
Maurice Barbanell founded the paper in 1932 after receiving a message from
the spirit world urging him to set up a newspaper devoted to spiritualism.
Maurice 'passed over' in 1981 but, luckily for Lyn, he still plays an
active role in the day-to-day running of Psychic News. Indeed, when she
first took over and had just three days to produce an emergency edition,
Lyn says Maurice worked alongside her all weekend to ensure she met the
Monday deadline.
Lyn decides to give me a psychic reading - don't ask me why - she requires
a photocopy of my hand on the office machine. Lyn stares hard at the fuzzy
image for a few seconds. Then she announces that someone's coming
through', an elderly woman with thick frizzy hair.
My paternal grandmother - who hated her frizzy hair - springs to mind. Lyn
confirms it's my grandmother then closes her eyes and appears to be
concentrating hard.
She opens them, looks me straight in the eye and says: 'Does the name Rose
mean anything to you? A shiver runs through my spine. 'Yes,' I say 'My
grandmother was called Rose.'
Lyn punches the air with a resounding 'Yes!' She adds, almost
coquettishly: 'Does the name Jack or John mean anything to you?'
'Yes, it does,' I say 'my grandfather, Rose's husband, was called John and
lots of people called him Jack.' Two out of two.
Obviously my face isn't quite ashen enough yet because Lyn feels compelled
to add that there's a small white dog with them. That, of course, is my
West Highland Terrier, Scottie, who died three years ago.
(Lyn informs me that one of her staff is a psychic collie called Crystal
whom she consults about pet stories.)
I decide to give advertising and circulation manager Paul Brett a helping
hand. He's a busy man, since Psychic News is also distributed in
Australia, Egypt, Finland and Thailand.
Paul, 33, tells me he likes to keep his working space clear after one too
many run-ins with the aforementioned ghostly maid, who has an alarming
habit of chucking things around.
A favourite target were the aromatherapy oil bottles he used to leave on
filing cabinets.
'When it happens once you don't think anything of it,' he says, 'but it
happened about six times in an hour. Then I opened the fridge and a milk
bottle literally flew out - I was terrified. I called Lyn and she had words
with the maid. She hasn't bothered me since.
As well as psychic readings and presumably the occasional bit of
journalism - Lyn, a former sports writer, also has a talent for spiritual
healing.
Office assistant Kate Harris, 19, has a bump on her head, so Lyn offers to
ease the pain. Does she feel better afterwards? 'I feel great. Like I've
just downed a double vodka,' she says.
Lyn places her hands on my shoulders and I immediately get a warm
sensation. Her hands move around my 'aura' and my body starts to feel
heavy. I'm still waiting for the double vodka kick but instead I feel
slightly giddy.
The photographer Drew Gardener, then asks if we can stage a picture with
me placing my hands under the photocopier. Lyn remarks that there will be
a lot of light around. Asked why, she explains that the spirits operate on
a 'light frequency', so my body will be bathed in light after being healed
by them.
Sure enough, the photocopy of my hands is brilliantly illuminated against
the black background whereas the one taken before my healing was black all
over. In disbelief I take several more copies and all show the same degree
of light. 'Told you so,' beams Lyn.
As the newest reporter, I am dispatched to Rochester Square Temple in
Camden, North London, for a 'evening of clairvoyance'.
Along with 25 others, I pay £5 for the chance of making contact with
someone I know who has 'passed to spirit'. The first few mediums speak in
very general terms and frankly I'm not impressed.
Then medium Tony Portman takes the platform. He can see water he's gasping
for breath - someone's coming through who 'passed on' in water. A woman who
drowned.
A man in the audience makes the link. Tony says he's getting the same name
George. The man confirms his name is George. Tony tells him the lady sends
her love.
Afterwards shop assistant George Woods, 27, confirms he was a good friend
of a 32 year-old woman who drowned last year on holiday. 'It's nice to
know that there is something after death' he says.
Not only that, but I have a hot story for my new editor.
POSTSCRIPT
The following morning my mother, who knew nothing about these events,
calls telling me she's just off to the cemetery to put flowers on my
grandmother's grave...