26^th December 2005

Experts take a look at spooky goings on.

Shadowy sightings and spooky sounds at her Luton home led Marian Betts to seek the help of ghost experts at the Luton Paranormal Society.

Mrs Betts, 58, has witnessed ghostly activity in her Old Bedford Road home since she moved there in the 1970s.

Over the years she and son Adam, 22, have seen shadowy figures standing outside their bedrooms, the sound of people walking around, and door handles moving – and all when there was no one but them in the house.

The Betts' dog Lucy is also aware of strange goings-on in the house, which Mrs Betts believes was built on a Roman burial ground.

"When we first came here we used to leave all the bedroom doors open and I would see shadows coming up the stairs and standing at my bedroom door for a few minutes before turning around and going down stairs again," said Mrs Betts. "I started shutting the door at night."

This is not the first time Mrs Betts, who believes she is spiritually sensitive, has witnessed the paranormal.

When she and husband David, 60, lived in a maisonette before moving to Icknield, she saw a ghostly figure in her bedroom mirror. She added: "Another time when I tried to get out of the bathroom, which I never lock, I could feel someone on the other side of the door battling to keep me in there. This lasted about five minutes. I was the only one in the house."

The supernatural instances seem to happen when one member of the Betts' family is home alone.

Mrs Betts, who also has a daughter Lorraine, 26, said: "My son has been in the house on his own with his bedroom door shut when he has heard someone walking up the stairs. His door handle has moved as if someone was trying to get in. It is really creepy and the dog's ears prick up when something spooky happens as if he's unsure of what's going on."

She added: "The dog is very aware of it. She'll sit up at night and look at the stairs. I do get nervous but I know that they can't hurt me."

Mrs Betts is hoping that LPS, which investigates the paranormal, including ghosts, aliens and crop circles, will visit her home to do an investigation in the new year.

LPS president Andy Fazekas would advise anyone who has had experiences like Mrs Betts to get in contact with the society through the website at www.lutonparanormal.com