As Halloween approaches, many people will be watching films about ghosts or cutting up sheets for a costume – and research now reveals that one in three believe they really exist.
Over a quarter of those surveyed thought it was possible to communicate with the dead, and 16 per cent reported having had a ‘ghostly or extraordinary experience’ themselves.
But many of these people said they had never discussed their encounter with anyone – even their family and friends.
The paranormal, including ghosts, magical beings, psychics, angels and demons, is believed in most frequently by those aged 25 to 34, according to the survey by Ipsos UK, which did not include children.
It also found that 34 per cent think big cats are roaming the countryside – but only 17 per cent believe in the Loch Ness monster.
Those most likely to dress up, decorate and watch spooky films for Halloween were generally younger and from the North West, West Midlands, or East of England
Dr David Clarke, associate professor at Sheffield Hallam University, who lead the research, said: ‘Far from folklore being something old-fashioned, our results show that traditional beliefs are a central part of modern life for millions of people.
‘How many of us salute when we see a single magpie, refuse to walk under ladders or treat Friday 13 as a day to be avoided?’
Despite beliefs in the supernatural, Bonfire Night is celebrated more widely than Halloween, with 52 per cent saying they would mark November 5, but only 46 per cent willing to get out the pumpkins.
There was a particularly sharp decline in those celebrating Halloween after the age of 45, while those who were most likely to dress up, decorate and watch spooky films were generally younger and from the North West, West Midlands, or East of England.
London was found to be a hub for those who believe in folklore, while the East Midlands appeared to be more sceptical about the supernatural, according to Dr Clarke.
The Lewes Bonfire Night parade, where an effigy of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was burnt last year. Research found more people in England mark November 5 than Halloween
Aside from ghosts, around 10 per cent of those polled for the National Folklore Survey – aged between 16 and 75 – reported having seen a UFO or ‘something in the sky that they could not explain’.
Some 24 per cent of people believed spacecraft piloted by aliens had crashed on Earth, while 15 per cent said they were involved in the building of ancient monuments such as Stonehenge.
And almost a third said the existence of aliens had been covered up by governments. This, the researchers said, reflects the impact of the Roswell incident, where a flying saucer is said to have landed in the New Mexico desert in 1947 before it was covered up by the US government.
There were also differences by religion, with Muslims more likely to believe in ancient astronauts and alien bases on Earth.
Dr Clarke said: ‘The Quran mentions there being life beyond our world – if not explicitly aliens. This is similar in Hinduism. But in Christianity, God created man and man is special. There are no mentions of any other intelligent creatures in the Bible.’
He led a team of academics from Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Hertfordshire and Chapman University in the US.
Their research found that more people – almost a third – said all UFO sightings could be explained as something natural, man-made, or as a hoax.
