Scratches are among the rarest and most unsettling things I’ve witnessed in the paranormal, writes EMMA SAUNDERS
Scratches are one of those things you see in horror films – three deep gouges down someone’s back and everyone screams “demon!”.
In reality, it’s nothing like that.
In nearly 50 years of seeing spirits and more than a decade running events, I can count genuine scratch cases on one hand. They’re very rare.
Two that stand out happened years apart, in completely different places.
One was at Buckingham Gaol. It happened to Rob – one of my team – who is a big bloke, six foot four, wide frame, but a total softie.
We had guests in the far upstairs cell when suddenly Rob was being told to “get out” through the spirit box.
Every time he spoke, activity stopped. When he stepped into the corridor, it all came back.
We think the spirit in there found him intimidating and didn’t want him inside.
Later, during a tea break, Rob rolled up his sleeve and showed me three red marks running down his arm, under his T-shirt. He swore he hadn’t done it himself.
Could he have scratched them without realising? Possibly – but they were big, angry marks. It was the first time I’d seen something like that up close.
The other time was at The Mallard in Hemel Hempstead.
We had three young girls on a Ouija board session. Two of them complained of sore backs.
When we checked, they each had fresh scratches – and one was in the shape of a number one. At that exact moment, the planchette slid over to the number one on the board. Coincidence? Maybe.
They were young; it’s possible they’d done it to themselves without knowing. I always try to debunk what I can.
And that’s the thing – it’s easy to nick yourself in an old building. You bump into something, lean on a rough wall, or even scratch an itch a bit too hard, and you’ve got a mark you can’t explain later.
I’ve seen so many photos online of “mysterious scratches” that look exactly like something you could do yourself in seconds.
When it does happen in front of you, though, it’s unsettling – not because I think it’s evil, but because it’s physical.
Most paranormal moments are about what you see, hear or feel inside. A scratch means something has actually made contact.
That’s rare, and it sticks with you.
I stay sceptical because that’s how you keep your integrity. I’m not in this to tell wild stories for the sake of it.
If I can’t rule out a natural cause, I will. But on those very few occasions when I can’t explain a scratch – when it happens right there, in the middle of an active session – it’s a reminder that whatever’s on the other side can reach across and touch us.
And that deserves respect, not hype.
Have you ever been scratched or seen someone be scratched during a paranormal investigation? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
