GAWTHORPE Hall became a centre of paranormal activity as hit TV show Most Haunted Live attempted to contact spirits haunting the building.

Chandeliers swung and crayons flew at crew members as the team, including TV favourite Yvette Fielding, held a seance at the Padiham building for a live show aired on the Living channel.

Manus Wynne, producer of Most Haunted Live, said that the hall was chosen as it was known as a paranormal hotspot.

The Elizabethan hall, which once belonged to the Shuttleworth family, is believed to be haunted by the ghost of Rachel K Shuttleworth, the last family member to live in the hall.

Colonel Richard Shuttleworth, who lived at the hall and was involved in the Pendle Witch trial of 1612, may also haunt the building.

It is also believed that a young woman was once murdered at Gawthorpe with some visitors describing being gripped by a sudden chest pain.

Manus said: “Our researchers spotted Gawthorpe Hall in their searches and saw it had an interesting history with links to the Pendle witches and that it was regarded as being haunted.

“During the day crew members said they felt like they were being followed and heard bangs and knocks that they couldn’t explain.

“When we were filming the chandelier in the grand staircase started swinging furiously as Yvette and the team tried to make contact with the spirits.

“We also spotted what seemed to be a group of people on our thermal imaging camera stood looking down on the crew from the landing but only our crew were in the body of the hall.”

According to Mr Wynne even more scary things then began to happen.

“In the former nursery we left crayons out and when we came back later the paper had been drawn on,” he said. “The crew also said they felt crayons flying past them.

“Yvette also said she heard her name being called at her and when she was in the female servants quarters she heard someone moan in her right ear.

“Gawthorpe Hall definitely has a lot of activity and we would like to carry out further investigations there.”

Rachel Pollitt, manager at the National Tust hall, said: “It was a fantastic experience having Most Haunted Live here.

“Staff here have seen people in the hall when no one else should have been here and also felt like they were being followed.

“It has never scared us though as we don’t think they are evil.”

The show can be seen on TV channel Living at 10pm tonight.