By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 12:38, Thursday, 28 February 2013

Ghostbusters can spend the night in a “haunted” community centre and raise money for a good cause next week.

Lee Sherriff

The event, next Friday, has been organised to raise funds for Carlisle Key, a charity supporting homeless young adults.

Labour candidate Lee Sherriff has organised the sleepover in Greystone community centre – her second fundraising event for Carlisle Key after she joined other volunteers sleeping on the city streets in January.

She chose the centre as a potential venue after a paranormal investigation team discovered strange shadows on CCTV and “bizarre light anomalies”.

Amanda Oakes, from Lakeland Paranormal Investigations, and her team spent more than five hours in the building, in Close Street, earlier this month.

“We have captured strange shadows on CCTV,” Amanda, 41, from Workington, said. “There were shadows when there was no-one there to cause them.”

Next week’s event is open to 15 people and costs £8. A team from Lakeland will be there to investigate any spooky goings-on.

Lee chose to raise money for Carlisle Key because of fears that changes to the benefits system next month will result in a rise in homelessness.

Julie Crosbie, project manager with Carlisle Key, said they were dealing with about 30 people who were classed as homeless, including rough sleepers, ‘sofa surfers’ and hostel residents.

She said: “People often say there are no homeless in Carlisle, but it’s because they don’t see them. However, it is becoming more obvious.”

She said that rough sleepers usually ended up in Rickerby Park, Eden Bridges and around the cathedral but would hide to avoid being moved on by police.

The sleep-out in January raised £500. To take part in next week’s event, phone the community centre on 01228 558602.

First published at 12:37, Thursday, 28 February 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk