Ghosthunters are claiming the ghost of Henry VIII is present at one of his castles - and the old king turned on them during one supernatural encounter.
Tony Ferguson and Paul Cissell believe their ghost could be Henry VIII, after they had a strange experience at Hurst Castle in November 2021.
Henry VIII is one of the most infamous kings in history, due to his six wives and terrible revenge enacted on two of them, who were beheaded.
Tony, from New Forest, said: "It could quite possibly be Henry VIII. We have visited several times and each time the activity gets darker and more sinister every time."
The 36-year-old explained that Paul was doing a 'lone vigil' in the castle basement and was left on his own for 20 minutes. Tony heard a band and came down to find Paul who "wasn't with it".
The experienced ghost hunter said: "He was very disoriented and I noticed he wasn’t making much sense. I then noticed the camera was not where I put it and facing downwards. I then said to him 'what happened to the camera mate?' [and] he just looked confused.
“He said 'I don’t know,' so I was unaware at this point that Paul even hit the camera until I got home to review the footage.
The scientific basis for ghosts is non-existent, but visitors may be drawn to the castle thanks to its interesting history. Access is only available through a two-mile walk or a ferry from nearby Keyhaven.
Hurst Castle is a Tudor artillery fortress on the Hampshire coats. It has a rich history and was built as a "chain of artillery defences protecting key ports and landing places around southern England from continental attack." It was strengthened during the Napoleonic Wars and remained in military use until after World War 2.
Despite the association with Henry VIII, perhaps the most significant royal chapter in the castle's history was when it was used to house a defeated Charles I after the civil war. Charles was eventually moved from Hurst Castle and taken to Windsor prior to his execution in January 1649.
The castle was highlighted as at risk recently by the 2022 World Monuments Watch.
They said: "The long-term survival of Hurst Castle depends on the ability to protect it from the action of the sea, made ever harder by sea level rise and more frequent storm surges."
Tony claimed he has since returned to the castle and he could feel "a presence following us around the castle."
He warned: "I was in a room in pitch black and felt something standing in front of me, and I asked if there was anything by the wall."
