TEIGNMOUTH’S historic Bitton House is being checked out – for ghosts!

Haunted Devon, a paranormal investigation group, has been allowed by the town council to give the famous old building the once-over for spooks.

The group believe it may be haunted by spirit of Admiral Pellew, a naval hero, who lived there for many years.

Councillors on Tuesday heard the ghost hunters would spend part of the night there, with up to 25 members taking part in May or June and split into groups to investigate different parts of the house and grounds.

‘The council will be provided with a very in-depth report on any paranormal activity captured with the array of monitors, CCTV, and state of the art equipment,’ they said.

Although the public would not be allowed in for the investigation, between 8.00pm and 2.00am, councillors could join the group. There would be no cost to the council.

The group has investigated strange goings on in several locations in the county, including Forde House at Newton Abbot.

Cllr David Cox quipped: ‘Who knows what might be lurking in the cellars - maybe the ghost of councillors past, still scheming, plotting and arguing maybe!

‘If the investigators do find something, then it could make Bitton House a big tourist attraction for people who are into that sort of thing. It will be interesting to see what they come up with, if anything.’

Bitton House, originally known as Westcliff House, was built at the end of the 18th century, and bought by Edward Pellew, later Lord Exmouth, to be near the sea and the family estates at Canonteign.

He joined the navy aged 13, and worked his way up, becoming a rear admiral, and capturing the first frigate in the war with the French, saved the crew and passengers of ship at Plymouth, prevented a mutiny, and bombarded Algiers and freed the Christian slaves. He was a keen churchman who took a prominent part in the affairs of the town, and died at his home in 1833.

Bitton House is now the home of the town council, and it previously housed the old urban council.

He was said to be a large man with a very diverse, larger than life character.

Haunted Devon said on its website that most of their investigations took place at night ‘when paranormal activity tended to be at its height’.

Investigations could be extremely tiring,with many hours in darkness, and no guarantee that anything would be seen.

After an initial check,they used either a spiritualist medium, or their own dowsing techniques to confirm the presence of spiritual activity.