"Is there anybody there?" I whispered into the blackness, silently hoping no answer would come back.
On a Friday evening, my husband Paul and I sat in the dark at Cornwall's Bodmin Jail to try and make contact with spirits said to haunt the former prison during the My Haunted Jail, Paranormal Investigation experience, which takes place twice a week.
Visitors arrive and split into pairs, heading to separate areas of the prison on their own to see if they can conjure ghosts from the past.
History and folklore fill the facility, which was built by prisoners of war in 1779, served as Cornwall's county prison for over 150 years, and hosted 55 public executions.
Matthew Weeks was one infamous inmate, hanged in 1844 for murdering Charlotte Dymond, and both spirits have reportedly been seen, with Matthew wandering around proclaiming his innocence.
Selina Wadge is another notable figure hanged in 1878 for killing her disabled son, whose ghost preys on young visitors.
Henry was the only inmate ever to escape Bodmin, vanishing into thin air in 1897, and some believe his spirit still paces the corridors looking for a way out.
We started our ghost hunt in the naval wing, where a museum displays original cells and the stories of those kept there.
The atmosphere felt genuinely ghoulish, as expected in a cold prison after dark.
While we did not encounter any chills or bumps in the night, many visitors report having their clothes tugged, hearing screaming children and rattling keys, or listening to heavy footsteps.
Cameras are fitted throughout the jail to capture paranormal activity on film for potential use on the next My Haunted Project television show.
Paul first attempted the Bloody Mary challenge, a popular trend where participants try summoning the ghost of Bloody Mary by repeating her name three times into a mirror inside a dark room.
Although shadows, pushes, and whispers are often reported, nothing appeared, which came as a relief to me since my apprehension might have warned the ghouls away.
After failing to summon Bloody Mary, pairs received 40 minutes in each section before walkie-talkies directed them through the dark to the administration block and courtroom.
Wandering those eerie corridors made it hard not to feel moved by the stories of past prisoners.
The facility held not just murderers, but people jailed for theft and mental illness.
Men and women were caged together without segregation in the past, and children sometimes joined their imprisoned mothers.
Our night ended at 2.30am, and though we saw no ghostly jumps, I welcomed leaving the damp cells for a warm hotel room.
Bodmin Jail opened 70 lavish bedrooms in 2021 following a £50million makeover, offering far more glamour than the dark rooms we explored.
Each room combines original features from three former cells with modern updates and homely touches.
The following day, I discovered our lovely room previously held 17-year-old apprentice James Grenfell Trewhella, jailed in 1848 for burning down his wealthy boss John James's workshop and carriage.
At least he escaped a murder conviction.
GO: BODMIN JAIL, CORNWALL
The My Haunted Jail, Paranormal Investigation experience runs every Friday and Saturday, costing £50pp.
STAYING THERE: One night's B&B at the hotel starts from £180.
See bodminjail.org.
