ONE county family claims to have proof that a property does not need to be ancient for it to be haunted.

Pensioner Fred Smith’s grandson Sirus appeared to have a mysterious playmate in tow when his mother Sarah Walsh snapped the five-year-old on her mobile phone.

Fred, from St Weonards, said he and his wife Julie were “gobsmacked” when Sarah emailed the picture over shortly after she took it at home in Hereford.

“If she lived in an old house or if there was a cupboard with a reflection or something fair enough, but she lives in a 1950s house in Redhill – we have no idea who this might be,” Fred said.

“She goes to mediums quite a lot and a friend of hers called Pete, who has ‘the gift’, previously said he felt a little girl in the house.”

Since then more strange events have followed, Fred claims, after the image was inexplicably wiped from Sarah’s phone and her Facebook page.

“Pete says it’s a little girl but I can’t make up my mind - whoever it is obviously does not want to be seen though,” he added.