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National
Ian Johnson

Dad-of-six claims he filmed a 'heartbroken ghost' on Facebook Live

If there's something strange in your neighbourhood, who are you going to call?

Well, if you live in Northumberland, the answer should probably be Richy Picking.

The dad-of-six only founded his group, Northumberland Ghost Hunters, a few months ago yet claims he's been spotting spooks like they're going out of fashion.

Ashington ghost hunter Richy Picking (newcastle chronicle)

He thinks the latest - and perhaps the eeriest  - is the spirit of a woman who starved herself after witnessing the bloody murder of her Danish prince lover.

The White Lady of Cresswell is famous among North East supernatural enthusiasts.

Legend states she lost the will to live when her lover, returning from sea, anchored at Druridge Bay only to be met by the Lady's three brothers who murdered him.

Now Richy - who is the group's 'voluntary lead investigator and founder' - believes he's caught the White Lady on camera at the abandoned tower in Cresswell.

"I was doing a Facebook Live, and as I turned around there was a wooden fence, and all I saw was that thing - whatever it was - behind me," said Richy.

Ashington ghost hunter Richy Picking (newcastle chronicle)

"It was a really bad feeling I had that it was behind me.

"But as soon as I watched the footage I celebrated and just went 'yeah!' - I got goosebumps, and just thought 'I can't believe this is happening'."

The brief footage, which you can watch in the video above, shows a pale white face seemingly sneaking up behind Richy's shoulder.

The 36-year-old claims the footage sent "chills" down his spine.

But others are more skeptical.

Ashington ghost hunter Richy Picking (newcastle chronicle)

On the group's Facebook page, one dubious viewer claimed it looked like a "mask".

Another said it looked more like a teenage boy than a malnourished, centuries-old spectre.

But asked if it was a set-up, Richy said: "I swear on my six children's lives it wasn't fake.

"There were just two of us there at the time, and both of us were men. It is very real."

Recently, the group has investigated graves, pubs and haunted houses in the search of spirits.

Ashington ghost hunter Richy Picking (newcastle chronicle)

And this is just the latest so-called spirit to appear near Richy, whose hi-tech ghost-hunting kit costs around £4,000.

Recently, he claims a nun "manifested in front of my eyes" at a graveyard.

And he insists: "There are skeptics - but we have changed a lot of people's minds."

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