Sydney Ghost-Busters

Janine Donellan

David is a 33 year old construction manager whose life has been turned upside down by what appears to be some sort of ghost in his house. He's flat out all day and when he gets home at night, he's so tired but can't get to sleep because of this 'thing'.

It all started four months ago when he suddenly became aware of another presence in his bedroom. There was an indentation left in the mattress as if someone was lying on it and there was a dent in the pillow where a head would have been. At other times the bed would shake. Then it started following him around the house, sitting next to him on the lounge, lying on top of him but never speaking and only visible as a fleeting shadow across the ceiling.

David lives in an inner-city cottage in Sydney and he became so frightened that he called the local ghostbusters - Soul Searchers. The group's leading paranormal investigator Janine Donellan said David's was one of five hauntings they had been asked to investigate this year. Ghost hunting has become big business in recent years and it's only natural to suspect these so-called psychics are ripping people off but Soul Searchers don't charge for their services which gives them more credibility than others. The volunteers include psychics, spiritualists, a couple of people with scientific backgrounds including a zoologist and two sceptics. "They bring the logic, it's very important to have sceptics" said Ms Donellan, herself a Pagan "eclectic witch" and founder of Spheres of Light which became Soul Searchers. They have a strict set of rules to follow. First, never investigate alone. Second, look for an obvious explanation - one woman reported lights flickering mysteriously and the group discovered it was caused by the off-peak hot water system switching on and off. Seances or ouija boards could be dangerous and should only be used by those who know what they are doing.

"You are opening a portal into the lower levels of the astral and you don't know what you will get coming through" said Ms Donellan who doesn't frighten easily. It takes a lot for people to ask for our help, they might be hearing noises or voices or things are moved around. Some people have visions manifest in front of them. Most people think they are crazy but after a period when the disturbances don't go away, they realise that there is something there". She said most hauntings are caused because the ghost had not "passed over" to the other side but was caught between two worlds. "We don't do exorcisms" Ms Donellan said "We just call on higher beings than ourselves, guardians or guides and ask them to help hese people over to another place. In 99 percent of jobs, that works the first time".

But it didn't work for David, the group has been back to his house three times. Each time, David said his house settled down but then the "thing" returned. I have a feeling that whoever cracks the case will become famous. With our biggest Sydney newspaper (The Daily Telegraph) involved in the story, I think David will have people lining up for a chance to prove they can get rid of his ghost. The only other logical explanation is that David is pulling everyone's leg.