Gwent-based ghost hunters seek out paranormal activity

The Supernatural Paranormal and Unexplained Network (SPUN) was started up a year ago by five colleagues, from Caldicot and Barry, who all worked for a Gwent-based transport company.

The group's members – now increased to eight – describe themselves as the "firefighters of the paranormal world," because they run into buildings other people run out of.

And in SPUN's first year of research, the group has investigated strange goings-on in a family home, mysterious orbs of light, and ghostly apparitions in an historic theatre.

The founding members of SPUN Paranormal Group, including Drew Roberts (second left). All pictures: courtesy of SPUN

Founding member Drew Roberts spoke to the Argus about the group's recent investigations.

"We've done three [investigations] at the Savoy Theatre in Monmouth," he said.

"We leave there every time with more questions than answers.

"Last time we were there, we used an SLS [motion detecting] camera, and we saw a figure sprawled on the stage. Then it tried climbing up one of the walls.

"It went up about 15 feet and then put out its arms as if it had been crucified."

The Grade II-listed Savoy was built on the site of an old tavern called The Bell Inn. Could SPUN have encountered the spirit of one of the inn's former guests?

Mr Roberts said the group had also seen a 'goat figure' with horns during one of SPUN's investigations at the Savoy.

And at Tintern Abbey a few years ago, Mr Roberts said he'd caught a strange creature on camera while taking photographs at dusk.

"I'd captured what looked like a gargoyle peering out of a window, but in the next picture it wasn't there," he said.

Mr Roberts said legend had it that the devil would appear at a rock formation near Tintern, back when the abbey was inhabited, and preach to the monks.

Paranormal activity? Drew Roberts caught this 'gargoyle-like' shape on camera. It later disappeared, he said.

So what does it feel like to search for paranormal activity in the dead of night?

"We're not scared – it's more of a curiosity, but also a sense of achievement when we've got something," Mr Roberts explained.

"But it's not all all like you see on TV. It's more like fishing – waiting and waiting, and some days you don't get anything at all."

The group's first investigation, at a family home in Barry, at first appeared to be one of those days.

SPUN had been called in to investigate unexplained night-time movements and noises in a child's bedroom.

The group stayed with the parents for four hours, listening on recording equipment and watching monitors, but found no evidence of anything supernatural.

But later, as Mr Roberts went through the footage, two cameras picked up strange lights in the room.

"I was shocked to see an orb in this bedroom," he told the Argus. "It dropped down to the floor and shot towards the wardrobe. The child rubbed his head and then an impression appeared on the duvet, like someone had knelt against the foot of the bed.

"Then the orb shot away from the bed. It was very exciting."

A mysterious shape the SPUN group caught on camera at the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth. Picture: SPUN

Mr Roberts said many of the group's members had long-running interest in the paranormal.

Mr Roberts said the strangest thing he had encountered was while living in Swansea several years ago.

He had just got into bed when he heard a noise on the landing. Expecting it to be his girlfriend, he opened it eyes and was shocked to find an apparition of a girl in front of him.

"She was wearing a Victorian dress and was skipping at the bottom of the bed," he said.

"I closed my eyes, and when I opened them she was in my face. She put a finger to my lips and said 'shh'" – I screamed out loud."

Recently SPUN has started inviting members of the public along to its investigations. For more information, visit spun.org.uk or search for SPUN Paranormal Group on Facebook,