Fantasma. Reino Unido

A father of three believes he caught the spirit of a French woman called Philippa on camera in an ‘unbelievable’ snap he shot through smoke at a 16th century hall.

Photographer and paranormal investigator Stu Williamson visited Gresley Old Hall in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, as part of a 10-strong ghost-hunting team called Haunted Souls on March 31.

After calling out to spirits lurking in the building, he turned on his portable smoke machine and took a flurry of pictures, capturing what he claims is the likeness of a ‘very beautiful and gentle’ woman called Philippa.

Mr Williamson, from Kibworth, Leicestershire, said: ‘When I looked at the pictures at home the following day and came across that one – it was unbelievable.’

‘The picture you can see is more or less as it was shot – the full-size head shot was floating two feet off the ground.

‘I called out to the spirits and took a series of about 150 snaps as you only get a second or two to catch the spirits that come up – it all happened so fast.

‘I connected with two spirits on the night – Philippa and Elizabeth – there was definitely a French connection with one of them and after calling to Philippa I captured this.’

Mr Williamson, 60, is a psychometrist, someone who can ‘sense’ or ‘read’ the history of an object by touching it, and claims to have connected with the women after touching one of the walls.

He said: ‘On the night we heard a really, really clear voice – I called out “Philippa are you there?” and I think it was her who came through the smoke to show herself.

HAUNTED HISTORY OF 16TH CENTURY HOUSE

Gresley Old Hall was once a priory, where men and women under religious vows would live humble lives dedicated to God.

Dating back to the 1100, the site was used as a priory until 1500, then the old hall was built on top of where the ruins once stood.

Gresley Old Hall has been used for numerous purposes, including to make earthenware and clothing.

It was also used as a farmhouse and in its time homed many farming families.

What was believed to be the spirit of a Victorian maid who died in a house fire was seen at the house in 2015.

Medium, Ian Griffiths, 47, and a TV crew caught footage of the woman, who was 60, while investigating the paranormal.

It is now used for ghost hunts and investigations, attracting hundreds of people every year because of its reputation for being haunted. 

‘I got a sense that she was really pleased we were there and was a very beautiful, gentle woman. I believe she was French and the owner’s wife.’

Mr Williamson captured the spirit by using a smoke machine lit with an LED light. He believes that using a substance, in this case smoke, on a transparent entity will help make it visible.

He added: ‘I believe that ghosts are invisible but if you throw something at that ghost, like smoke, it sticks to the ghost.

‘I then came up with the idea of how to light it using a special LED light.

‘After setting this up on the night I called out to the spirits and was amazed by the pictures that came through – that one was unbelievable.’

Mr Williamson said that it was only as he was going through the pictures on his computer that he spotted the ethereal face staring back at him.

‘The final picture is more or less as it was shot. I didn’t see it on the night, but it’s the best capture I’ve seen – it was a great night.

‘As a professional photographer I know if something’s been Photoshopped – some people have played with them and have tried to get publicity – but I don’t want publicity, I’m not bothered by it.’

Gresley Old Hall dates back to the 16th century and was built with stones from the priory which once stood on the grounds.

The hall has served a number of purposes over the years including as a china and earthenware factory and in the late 1800s is believed to have become a farmhouse which was tenanted to families.

But Mr Williamson and the team didn’t just encounter peaceful spooks on the night, they claim they came across an angry male spirit who shouted, swore and even hurled a stone at one of the hunters in a bid to get them to leave.

Stu said: ‘It’s a really creepy place. A male spirit screamed at us to get out and threw a stone at one man which hit him in the head.’

‘When we go out we do nothing but investigate. We don’t throw things around – if nothing happens, so be it.

‘We’re not entertainers, we just want to capture paranormal phenomenon.’