Multiple murder, bloody revenge and a tortured child's voice are said to be behind the ghostly goings on at the Wheatsheaf Inn, West Boldon.

Staff and regulars at the Rectory Bank boozer experienced unexplained events such as chairs and pan lids thrown across rooms, screwed in lampshades crashing to the floor, and a child's handprint found in jelly in a locked room.

Spiritualist Suzanne Hadwin, formerly from Witherwack and Seaham, claimed to have found the victims of a child serial killer, buried in and around the pub.

The 35-year-old – who made national headlines this week when a council paid her to expel a ghoul from a family home in Peterlee – said she was contacted by the trapped spirit of Jessica Ann Hargreaves, allegedly strangled at the age of six in 1908.

Further revelations followed, that Jessica was one of eight or nine victims of a man called Joseph Lawrence, who in turn was murdered by her dad Billy – causing massive paranormal activity at the pub.

Investigations into the century-old murder allegations spurned a TV documentary about the Wheatsheaf – voted Britain's most haunted pub four years ago.

But Ms Hadwin now says she has much more information about the pub's murky past, which will be revealed in an illustrated book she aims to have published by July.

"There are a lot more twists and turns," she said. "It's going to be a really good story."

Ms Hadwin said she now knows where Jessica is buried – after her body was moved following her death.

And she says there were three people involved in the murders, not just Joseph, whose real surname was Armstrong.

Ms Hadwin will be using her psychic powers at a charity night in Sunderland on March 10 – to relay messages form beyond the grave – to raise money for the Grace House Appeal.
For details, call the charity on 516 6302.
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