Is your house haunted?

Discover whether you have a ghost at home

If you imagine a haunted house, you'll probably picture a creaky old building, full of cobwebs and dust, that's been empty for centuries. But ghosts don't just roam the deserted corridors of castles and mansions - they can pop up in the most modern of surroundings, too. This means you might have a ghostly housemate sitting on the sofa in your living room or floating by the cooker in your kitchen!

Don't panic if you think you might have a spectral guest, though, because most ghosts are not harmful. They are spirits of former residents still lingering around their old house. Unless you are psychic, you probably rarely notice their presence. Some people even become fond of their resident ghost, giving him/her a name and talking to him/her. This previous occupant of your home perhaps doesn't realise they are in spirit, so just carries on with life as usual, ignoring you.

The ghost in your home could be trying to pass on a positive message to you, rather than trying to scare you. Most psychic mediums, who say they can see spirits, refer to the beings they contact as 'people in spirit'. This removes the fear factor by reminding you that ghosts are people too - but existing on a different spiritual level.

Another common and comforting ghost to have around the house is the spirit of a deceased relative or friend, who returns to reassure you they are happy in the afterlife. Or perhaps they might have helpful message for you. Another welcome ghostly guest is a beloved pet who has passed on, but who revisits in spirit to remain close to you.

Signs your house is haunted:

*Cold Spots: If one small area of a room is always icy cold, despite you turning up the heating full blast, this may indicate a ghostly presence. Ghosts are said to need heat or energy in order to make an appearance. So it draws heat out of the room to allow its energetic body to manifest - creating a persistent icy spot in the room.

*Lights flickering: The phenomenon most commonly associated with ghostly visitations is flickering lights. Like cold spots in a room, a spirit is said to pull energy from electrical devices, such as lights, to energise itself. So if an electrician can't find fault with the wiring, perhaps a ghost is to blame? Also a spirit may try to get your attention by turning electrical devices off and on. So if your TV or mobile phone constantly stops working in a particular place - perhaps it's haunted!

*Missing objects: Are you always losing small objects, such as car keys, coins or your purse, at home? If so, perhaps it's more than just your forgetfulness at play? Because playful spirits enjoy moving objects around the house to confuse you! It's as if the ghost was borrowing your belongings!

*Orbs: These are strange and unexplained balls of light that appear in your digital photos. While most are clearly specks of dust or insects illuminated by the flash or too close to the camera lens, others cannot be explained away so easily. If you are always seeing lots of orbs in photos taken in your home - perhaps they are ghostly beings?

*Pets: Your cat or dog is the best barometer of psychic activity in your home. Animals rely on their sixth sense, meaning they can pick up on paranormal energy much more easily than most humans can. So if your pet displays unusual behaviour, such as howling or staring at the same spot in your home, when s/he doesn't normally pay this place attention - you may have a ghostly visitor.

*Strange Scents: Ghosts can't usually speak to you, so they are said to communicate through emotions or senses. A common sense medium for spirit communication is scent. Friendly ghosts may waft a pleasant scent through your home to say hello. Or if you suddenly smell the scent of your deceased mother's perfume at home, perhaps she's just checking in with you. Floral scents are reported most often.