IF things are going bump in the night and you don't know who to call, Thornton graduate Sam Witcher might have the answer.

The 22-year-old from Briar Mews, Thornton, has been getting himself into all sorts of ghoulish situations recently -- all in the name of televisual entertainment.

Brave Sam was one of a six-strong team of amateur sleuths chosen to star in a series on satellite channel Living TV, investigating the truth behind spooky urban myths and paranormal activity.

Dubbed "The Scream Team" the six were filmed as they travelled to 10 reportedly haunted, cursed and frightening sites across the country.

Living together 24 hours a day, they spent almost four fear-filled weeks together trying to work out if there was any truth behind the frightening tales. The result was The Scream Team series, now showing on Living TV on Tuesday evenings.

Performing arts graduate Sam said: "My lecturer at college knew someone who was working on the programme. They asked him if he had a list of graduates who would be interested. They contacted quite a few of us from my course and we went down and auditioned for it."

But these were no ordinary auditions -- Sam had to prove his courage.

"We had this test where the programme makers put this bowl on our lap with a cover on it and they said there was a spider in it -- and I really don't like spiders.

"They said we had to close our eyes and put our hands in it. It took me 20 minutes to get my courage up because they kept saying the spider might be on the bowl or crawling up the cover. I did it but I found out after it was just a bit of foam."

The Scream Team began their investigations with a trip to Clapham Woods, Sussex, where locals fear satanic rituals are carried out and people and pets have disappeared.

They have also investigated a 3000-year-old burial ground at Blue Bell Hill, Kent, believed by locals to be cursed.

"We met so many really good psychics and experts in every field I learned quite a lot and since I have been back from it family and friends have been telling me all these ghost stories and asking for my advice," Sam said.

And he admitted he'd changed his views. "Before I was sceptical and imagend there might be something else out there but know I'm sure of it. It was all really good fun."

The Scream Team can be seen on Living TV at 9pm every Tuesday and during the channel's Paranormal Zone weekdays 1.30-3pm and 6.30-8pm.