HALLOWEEN: Sussex ‘Ghostbusters’ on lookout for paranormal activity

‘If there’s something strange in the South Downs, who you gonna call?’ The Paranormal Intelligence Gathering Service (PIGS) could be who.

Led by ex-Sussex policeman Tim Brown, the professional team of 14 have had many years’ experience in solving spooky cases of the unexplained.

“Where others refer to them as ghosts, we call them suspects and people’s accounts we call witness statements,” said Tim.

“Then we present the case to the jury by posting our findings on the website and they decide whether the suspect is ‘guilty’ of the haunting.”

A novel approach to catching ghosts, the PIGS (which include three members of Sussex Police) bring their research skills, technical devices and knowledge to the table.

“I started in 2006 and now it’s my full-time job. We’ve visited more than 30 locations so far,” said Tim.

From a terrified woman in Rottingdean who tied crucifixes to her arms and legs, to the ghost of a German Nazi in Guernsey’s war battery, the investigators have seen and heard it all - but it all started as a simple work gathering.

“I was a police officer but I left there and became a general manager for Comet.

“One year I was dealing with a team-building event for training purposes and because it was Halloween we decided to do it at Pevensey Castle in East Sussex.”

Getting a feel for things that go bump in the night, Tim invited his former Sussex Police colleagues and a group of researchers to form PIGS.

CCTV infrared cameras, audio equipment, humidity and temperature-measuring tools and something to detect static levels are all used to see whether a place is haunted.

Spectres have been successfully captured on video camera and eerie voices recorded on tape.

The team has raised almost £100,000 for national charity Anthony Nolan, and organises public investigations in Sussex for anyone to attend.

“If you’re uncomfortable about things in your house you should just continue as normal. Give us a call and we’ll be on hand to help and rationalise what’s going on.”

To learn more visit their website or call 07976 851039.