TV psychic stages bid to contact Usher Hall ghosts

Published on Tuesday 3 August 2010 17:40

ONE of American TV's most famous mediums is preparing to pit her wits against a ghostly presence in the Capital.

Birmingham-born Lisa Williams has been on Oprah, had her own show on ABC and claims to have "contacted" the spirits of Princes Diana, Marilyn Monroe and Ray Charles.

Now she is set to turn her formidable power to a local mystery - the origins of the Usher Hall ghost.

The "internationally acclaimed" medium and clairvoyant is set to perform at the Capital venue next month.

Staff are hopeful she will be able to shed some light on a mysterious presence that has scared more than a few visitors over the years.

The most famous incident came in 2005 when Dame Kiri te Kanawa was performing on stage. After one song the star spoke to the crowd for the only time during the concert, to ask them: "Did you hear the footsteps during that last piece. They were behind me. You have a ghost."

She is not the only one to experience a strange presence in the venue, however, with staff admitting there were quite often unexplained events. These include doors flying open without reason, taps turning on and off, and stage lifts seeming to operate of their own accord.

Cold spots have also been reported near the entrance to one of the washrooms, which was a Second World War bomb shelter, while audience members have frequently reported feeling an uncomfortable shudder in the Upper Circle.

There is also the chilling tale of a security guard who saw a vision of a little girl in the upper circle bar when the building was closed, an experience which left him so scared he never returned.

Ms Williams said this would be her first time in Edinburgh and added that she was looking forward to hunting down the Usher Hall ghost.

"I've heard all about the ghost stories in Edinburgh, and I expect I will pick something up at the Usher Hall as it's supposedly a little bit haunted," she said.

"I'm really looking forward to it and it would be great if I could find out something about who or what this ghost is."