‘What we know would freak everyone out’: meet the detectives hunting down the paranormal

‘Most of the time, it’s a plane going overhead or whatever. But occasionally, we can’t identify it’: Natalie Pearce. Photograph: Alex Telfer/The Observer

‘An iridescent blob appeared in the sky’: Natalie Pearce, alien investigator

I was working as a nurse when I became interested in the paranormal, after seeing full-body apparitions at work. My foray into the paranormal world led me to ufology and I set up a group called UFO Identified with a fellow enthusiast, Ash Ellis.