A Bolton woman who believes she spoke to a ghost as a child is now leading an all-female paranormal investigation group in the North West.
Emma Flood says that when she was a young girl, a friendly man who «looked a bit like Fred Dibnah» would visit her at night and chat with her. Her mother thought it was an imaginary friend, but Emma now believes she was seeing a spirit.
Today, Emma runs Para-Northern, a Lancashire-based ghost-hunting team that investigates reported paranormal activity in homes and historic buildings. The group uses cameras, voice recorders and other devices to rule out everyday causes like heating noises before exploring unexplained events.
«I keep an open mind, but I apply logic,» Emma said. «We rule out normal explanations first.»
Emma, who works in business finance by day, says her interest started early, and she believes her late parents also had paranormal experiences.
Para-Northern has investigated well-known sites, including Smithills Hall, the old Bolton Magistrates’ Court, and other historic buildings across the region. Many calls also come from worried homeowners reporting moving objects or slamming doors.
Emma says she respects scepticism but believes some experiences cannot be explained away.
«I’ve had evidence that convinced me there’s more to life than what we can see,» she said. «Once you experience that, it changes you.»
