So when the chance of allowing a group of ghostbusters to come
to our Chichester office and communicate with the spirit world
arose, I was practically champing at the bit.

Bring on the ghoulish japes and paranormal phranks, I thought. Give me orbs, chills and unexpected noises.So were there any ghosts of Christmas Past, Present or Future wandering our hectic corridors I hear you ask? Well, in short, no.

The night began when members from paranormal group Spirit, based in Bognor Regis, entered our offices at Unicorn House in Eastgate Square.
The group's mediums Heddwen Ede and Kurt Nye started searching every corner of the building to 'tune- in' to the spiritual world.

As the witching hour approached, myself, my good friend and fellow cynic Dominic Wrein, and all 11 members of Spirit huddled together in the editorial room, which used to be a dance hall during the second
world war.

Kurt said a few words for the good spirits to act as a white cloak for everyone in the room before we set off around the building to have a giggle with the ghosties. We went into the photographers' room, the hive
of all ghosting activity, and sat in a circle in the dark.

A few of the mediums sensed there was someone present who wasn't before. An Army major and his chum laughing together. Some members of Spirit said
they felt pains in their stomach and hinted that perhaps this Army chap had been wounded there. Interesting stuff.

The group flittered to and fro with excitement around the office rooms. A knife which had been placed on one desk had been moved to another
without any explanation. It was time to move upstairs, to some empty rooms and the mightily-scary loft.

Having already seen a photograph with a spirit orb taken earlier that evening, I was beginning to abandon my sceptic beliefs. We walked into what used to be the promotion team's office, with temperature's dipping to Arctic levels. I've felt warmer in Lapland.

But then it happened. And just exactly what I was hoping for, too. A full-on trance, a connection with the spirit world,a chance to find out if there is life after death! Phew.

Slumped on the floor, Kurt spoke in a different, posh voice. A Roman soldier named Marcus appeared to be in the room. He wanders the corridors and 'watches the children play'. Everyone in the room was
captivated. But myself and Dom found the whole thing quite amusing and were left bamboozled by the whole affair.

The evening continued to move at a fast pace and before we knew it, it was 1.15am. Finally it was time for the 'glass test'. Several members gathered around a table and put their fingers on a glass.

On one side of the table was a piece of paper with the word 'yes' on it and on the other side 'no'. Heddwen asked any spirits in the room to join them at the table and answer their questions.

What happened next will probably stay with me forever. The spirit believed to have entered the room was someone that wanted to contact me. Rolling my eyes and stepping forward, I thought of that person and
asked it a question in my head, which no-one could have known.

Despite not getting the answer I was looking for, Heddwen
muttered something quietly to me which actually made my heart sink for a moment. It was the name Robert. My uncle.

Spookily the person I had been thinking of was my Aunt Judy, who was Robert's older sister. She passed away two years ago, and only she and a few other close relatives would call Uncle Bob by that name.

Thoroughly perplexed, I left the office in a state of disbelief.
Maybe there is something out there after all.David McDonald of Spirit said:"I think the whole evening went very well. From our point of view
we were very happy. We like it when people join us, when they can experience things first-hand. A trance doesn't happen all that
often, only when Kurt allows it to.

"It happens if the spirit is quite strong. The visit to your offices
gave us more information about the building and who we are
dealing with."

For more information log on to www.paranormal-research.co.uk.