A GHOST hunter who has chosen to live alone in the county’s most haunted house admits he goes to bed at night clutching a crucifix.

Micky Rawlings, 39, is staying at The Cage in St Osyth while researching a documentary about the supernatural.

He admits most people think he’s a bit “bonkers”.

Micky claims to have witnessed intense paranormal activity and fears the house could even kill someone one day.

The single dad-of-one, who works as a painter and decorator, said: “I’m trying to go about my daily life as best I can, but it’s hard.

“I do get unnerved. I’m not a religious man and yet I go to bed every night clutching a crucifix for my own safety.

“After a few days, I got to learn the natural noises of the house. Now the non-natural noises keep me awake at night.”

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

  • Suspected witches were held at the Cage 

The Cage has an eerie history and once served as a jail which was in use until the early 20th Century.

In the 16th Century, 13 women accused of being witches were chained there before being hanged.

The ghost of one - Ursula Kemp - is still said to roam the house.

The house has been owned by Vanessa Mitchell, 40, since 2009.

She claims she was forced to flee the property after spotting a black shadowy figure standing outside young son Jesse’s bedroom door.

She has now put the two-bedroom property up for sale with a whopping £290,000 price-tag.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

  • Owner Vanessa Mitchell has put the Cage up for sale

Micky is helping Vanessa pay the mortgage by arranging paid-for ‘ghost hunting’ nights for members of the public.

He said: “I’ve seen books flying off shelves in the upstairs hallway. I’ve watched doors open on their own, and I’ve even seen a shadow person with my own eyes.

“This was in the room I’m now using as my bedroom. The only way I can describe it was like seeing someone wearing a dark coloured robe – in the form of a black mist.

“That figure has been seen by numerous people over the past few years.

“I’ll often hear the sound of children banging around playing upstairs when there’s absolutely no-one else in the house."

Many locals dismiss any reports of supernatural spookiness as rubbish.

Micky has rigged the house with cameras in a bid to record video evidence.

He said: “When Vanessa lived there, she’d see these really wild things but she couldn’t show her neighbours anything tangible.

“God knows how many people think she’s crazy. But I know she’s not a crank – I’ve seen these things myself.

“And there are others in the village who do believe. They won’t even walk past the house at night. I’ll often see them crossing the road to avoid it.”

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

  • Ghost hunter Micky has rigged the building with cameras

He added: “Most people will hear this and think, ‘This bloke is a bit bonkers’. Others might say, ‘No way can a house be that haunted’.

“But it is. And for me, it’s a fascinating place.”

Male well-being firm Manflu has even nominated Micky as the UK’s ‘Most Manly Man’ - and given him a year’s supply of chicken soup.

The company is urging anyone with an even manlier story to contact them through Twitter @manflu.