Why Peter's talking to the dead
COMMUNICATING with the dead would be too much to comprehend for most people.
For one man, it is a way of life.
Peter Crawford is a professional psychic medium. He loves nothing more than helping other people communicate with the spirits.
RICHARD MENNEAR caught up with him.
PETER Crawford's gift first came to light when he was a teenager.
His mum, Sylvia Crawford, died of lung cancer. He was 18 at the time.
Since then Peter has raised more than 25,000 for charity and provides public and private readings for people across North East England.
The clairvoyant, who lives in the West Park area of Hartlepool, said: "The smallest thing can often have the biggest effect especially when you are trying to comfort someone who has recently lost someone.
"It was a very traumatic time when my mum died and I believe it was that experience that pushed me towards what I do today.
"A friend of mine took me to a spiritualist church for guidance and I must admit at first I was a big sceptic.
"The medium told me I would do this for a living and that really got me thinking."
He has now been a professional psychic medium for 15 years.
He reflects: "My job is to give proof of life after death."
The dad-of-two reckons he has had the gift of being able to communicate with spirits since the age of seven.
Since he started to put it into practice, Peter has since raised money for schools, cancer and earthquake victims..
The 38-year-old still doesn't advertise his services but relies on word of mouth.
The Sunderland and Hartlepool United fan added: "What always amazes me is the amount of men that either come to my shows or request private sessions. In the past five years in particular I have seen a huge increase.
"I think people would also be surprised by the different range of professions that come to see me including doctors, nurses and social workers.
"The sessions last between half an hour and an hour and they do take a lot out of me. It is very hard work that can leave me feeling really tired afterwards," added Peter who is booked up until August and took part in a sell out show at Hartlepool's Town Hall Theatre last year.
A medium is someone who has a special gift that allows people to give them messages from the afterlife.
Their objective is to prove the survival of the human personality after death and to help those recently bereaved to come to terms with their loss.
Peter is keen to stress that any attempt to communicate with a spirit is purely experimental and a result can never be guaranteed.
The former manager of a men's clothes store in Peterlee added: "It is important to make the client feel as comfortable as possible.
"I always ask them not to tell me anything and just to give me a yes or a no answer to whatever they tell me.
"It is not a case of me talking to the spirits, it is more a case of them coming to me. If I pick something up from their past then they are always really shocked, but I don't predict things because I am not a fortune teller.
"They come into my thoughts and then I describe what I can see. When I'm on form it can go really well but it doesn't necessarily work for everyone."
Television producers are also keen on showcasing his work to a wider audience and he is in talks about a possible documentary.
The dad-of-two is also fronting a new DVD called Peter Crawford's Haunted Hartlepool, which is due to be in shops within the next two months.
The DVD follows ghost hunters from Hartlepool across five different pubs in town.
Organisers say the night, which was held at the end of last year, has so far raised more than 2,000 for charity with the promise of more to come from the DVD sales.
Peter, who also has a weekly spot on Radio Hartlepool, said: "I saw the appeal for ghost hunters in the Mail and decided to offer Stephen Picton, who was organising the night, my services.
"It was fascinating to take part and the Jacksons Arms, in Tower Street, was the most haunted. The first thing I saw was a lady with bleached blonde hair who looked liked a lady of the night.
"When I told a few of the regulars what I'd seen, they knew who it was straight away and were really astounded.
"My work can really strike a chord with people and it is fascinating to see that up close."
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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