Boat party seeks phantoms

Legend has it several ghosts roam the Norfolk Broads

A team of experts is carrying out scientific experiments on the Norfolk Broads - in the hope of tracking down ghosts.

The Ghostlab team is spending five nights on the Broads on a boat laden with devices such as infrared lighting, cameras and thermal scanners.

They will even be joined by a medium on their tour of sites of reputed hauntings.

But paranormal researcher Andrew Wright, who is leading the investigation, admits: "A lot of it sounds quite dubious."

Haunted abbey

The four-strong team set off on their boat, the Sweetheart II, on Monday, and spent the night moored at the remains of the 3rd Century Burgh Castle near Great Yarmouth.

It is said to be haunted by the ghosts of people thrown from its battlements.

Also on the itinerary is 11th-century St Benet's Abbey, near Ludham, where a gruesome hanging is said to be replayed at night.

The trip will finish on Friday, and the team will head back to the lab to examine the data collected for signs of any paranormal activity.

Mr Wright, from Leicester, said such signs could include "orbs" - strange light effects that cannot be seen by the human eye, but are captured on film.

Marsh gas

However, despite having investigated the paranormal all over England for many years, Mr Wright says he keeps an open mind about ghosts.

"I think it's complex - I believe in some sort of residual energy.

"But 99% of so-called ghost reports are nothing.

"They turn out to be caused by marsh gas, or clouds of midges, or even clothes hanging on the line.

"What we try to do is investigate in a fairly sceptical frame of mind."