There are more ghostly tales of poltergeists haunting houses in Thornton Heath but are they true?

John Fraser, a Council member of The Society of Psychical Research founded in 1882 wrote a book called Poltergeist, which investigates destructive hauntings and features the Beverstone Road poltergeist which is a few hundred yards from where the author lives.

Fraser’s book features many Croydon hauntings and examines the case of another Thornton Heath poltergeist.

In 1970 a whole family were also, allegedly, plagued by a poltergeist during a four year ordeal which started when a light was repeatedly knocked to the floor and the bedside radio began blaring out a non English speaking radio station.

The man of the family was hit in the forehead with a Christmas decoration in 1972 with the tree and decorations shaken. The son claimed to have awoken one night to see a man dressed in old fashioned clothing staring menacingly.

Finally fed up, the family contacted a priest who blessed the house but it just made it worse.

A medium claimed the spirit was an 18th century farmer called Chatterton and saw the current occupants as invaders. Even his wife was said to haunt the building dressed in a pinafore with her hair in a bun.

Objects were hurled and the noises got worse with the family seeing the farmer wearing a black cravat and high necked shirt in a black jacket appear on their TV screen. The family eventually moved out and there were no more hauntings reported.

This tale recently went’ viral’ and has been discussed in the USA and emerged as ‘El poltergeist de Thornton Heath’ on You Tube by a Spanish speaking blogger. A Birmingham based organisation even made a low budget movie based on the strange events.

Mr Fraser said: “This case seems to lack any original sources, and may possibly be an example of modern folklore?