Portsdown Hill's Fort Widley to host ghost-hunting class where students will investigate 'unexplained phenomena'

The Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP), a registered charity dedicated to researching ‘unexplained phenomena’, is running a training session for those interested all things supernatural.

For £65 – including lunch – those who enrol on the course will spend a night in Fort Widley, in Portsdown Hill Road, Cosham, and get the chance to ‘join an elite network of regulated investigators.’ Students will learn to sceptically investigate the unknown and delve into the tunnels of the historic fort – which is popular with ghost-hunting groups.

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An ASSAP spokesperson said: ‘The popularity of paranormal TV has led to an increase in groups setting up, but these are often unregulated and uninsured. ASSAP, established in 1981, is a registered charity and learned society, dedicated to the scientific research of currently unexplained phenomena.

‘They are also a recognised governing body and run the National Register of Paranormal Investigators, by which incoming cases are distributed to qualified investigators around the country who do not charge for their work.’

Investigators are DBS checked and training includes theory work and a simulated investigation, with a strong focus on safeguarding and ethics.

The session will led by training officer Steve Parsons, who added: ‘Hopefully, it will be an antidote to the nonsense you see on television. Because ASSAP is a scientific focused organisation, what we promote is an objective, science-based examination of people’s experiences rather than the ‘hair’em scare’em’ approach you often see in the media. It’s an accreditation and it simply states that you have undergone a recognised degree of training – but it is not a qualification in any way.’

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ASSAP chairman Christian Jensen Romer said: ‘We are really pleased to be able to offer this opportunity again, with the only training of its kind. Nothing can quite prepare you for facing the seemingly impossible, but this course will give you the best possible tools for the job.’

The upcoming training day and night, are on Saturday, June 24 at Fort Widley on Portsdown Hill from 10 am. To register for the training, people must also purchase and ASSAP - available from £5 per year. Visit www.assap.ac.uk for more information.