Professional paranormal investigators are heading to Warwick this Halloween to help thrill seekers contact residing spirits at one of the town's most haunted hot spots.

Haunted Happenings is hosting an evening of exploration at St John's House on Saturday 28th October between 7pm and 1am.

Visitors to the 900-year-old Jacobean mansion will be exploring the building's Victorian schoolroom, attic and cellar, alongside a team of experienced paranormal investigators led by Hazel Ford, owner of Haunted Happenings, a ghost hunting company that has taken over 300,000 people on a ghostly experience over the past 17 years.  

They will be sharing tips of how to spot and read the signs of unusual activity, before inviting guests to participate in a range of paranormal experiments including table tipping, glass moving, Ouija Boards, vigils and seances as well as using electromagnetic field ghost hunting equipment.

St John's House has been used as a private residence, a school, a museum, and administrative offices of the War Department – and is now closed to the general public.

Hazel said: "We wanted to explore St John's House as we have heard countless tales from people who have seen things there that they can't explain.

"When I was there last year I walked up to the attic, I thought someone was behind me throughout as I could hear their breathing and footsteps, but when I turned round, nobody was there. 

"And when I laid out a séance table with four chairs in the basement, I popped out for five minutes and returned to find the chairs stacked up in the corner of the room, which was in entire darkness. 

"We have also heard reports of chairs flipping in some instances.

"It is going to be a night of deep exploration of this unique building, and I'm looking forward to welcoming a real mixture of experienced ghost hunters and those trying it out for the first time."

And for anyone trying out their own ghost hunts this Halloween, Hazel has the following advice:

"It's important for any investigator to go into a ghost hunt with a rational mind, and to never assume that everything is paranormal. This is one of the key tips that we teach people on our ghost hunts, which helps them to truly separate everyday happenings from experiences they cannot explain," she said.

Tickets to the 90-minute tours are now limited, with the 7pm and 9pm time slots nearly sold out, with more availability for the final 11pm slot.

Warwickshire Gin Company will also be on-site throughout the evening to provide guests with a free drink upon arrival, and will also be providing a range of Halloween gin cocktails.

St John's spooky outdoor pub garden will also be open for guests to purchase pizza, from Dough & Brew, and further drinks and cocktails, before or after the tour.

St John's House is managed by Heritage & Culture Warwickshire, who are members of south Warwickshire's tourism body, Shakespeare's England, which is responsible for driving more visitors to the region.

Darren Tosh, Operations and Marketing Director at Shakespeare's England, added: "St John's House is renowned for attracting paranormal enthusiasts, and it's great to hear that it has now caught the attention of professional investigators which will undoubtedly see the building's popularity increase even further."

Tickets cost £30 per person, and can be purchased here.

A family-friendly Halloween event – called St John's Haunted House – is also taking place between Saturday 28 October and Tuesday 31 October from 10am until 3pm, where children are taken on a narrated tour of the ground floor of St John's House, before getting hands-on by making potions and slime.

Head to our What's On page for more information about spooktacular events taking place this October on the run up to Halloween.

You can also click the 'Nub It' button at the top of the page to share your own events for free.

We look forward to hearing from you.