The ghostbusters of Spelthorne

The non-profit group, who usually have to fund their trips out of their own pocket, was started by Ashford pensioner Val Butler, who lives with her 63-year-old partner Ken Taylor in Town Tree Road.

The 64-year-old said: "A lot of places we investigate can be very scary and a lot of members will say 'I am not staying there.' Some places are simply very hair raising but this time nobody is going to be allowed to leave. We want people to sponsor us so we will be able to stay all night."

The group use infra-red recording equipment, scanners, and thermometers, and find evidence of paranormal activity, such as stange lighting, movements, sounds, and appartitions, and usually proceed in the dark.

It all started when Val's Sam died of stomach cancer five years ago at the age of 88.
Val said: "I was with him when he died, and something happened which made me think he hadn't gone. It was just a feeling, but the man I saw laying there was my father's body, but I knew he was somewhere else."

Val said she then joined another investigative team, but started the MPI last summer (2008) so she could confirm her beliefs of life after death.

She said: "Life is short and special, and I like to think that when you die it is not the end."
The group have made 12 investigations, including one in a sports centre in Staines, where Val said a door opened three times when she asked it to.

The group chose Help for Heroes as a few of the members have friends and relatives in the armed forces.

Val said: "There are all those people fighting out there, and I think as much needs to be done to help them. The brother-in-law of one member of the group, Mark Ormrod of the Royal Marines, Plymouth lost both legs and one arm Christmas Eve 2007 and is hoping to join with us."

To sponsor the group email Val on val@mpi-uk.com.