Woman buys 'haunted' doll found at antiques fair for £3 – and instantly regrets it

A mum was warned against buying the 'UK's most haunted doll", but decided to take the plunge anyway. She's had issues since picking up the spooky item, which has apparently brought “lots of pain” on her family.

With its blonde locks, striped shirt and baby-like face, 'Norman' may look like an ordinary child’s doll at first glance. But it has garnered quite a haunting reputation.

The doll made headlines last year after his previous owner, Christian Hawksworth, claimed he had been

Christian then suffered an exploding appendix, being shot, his car brakes failing and his salary severely reduced – which he put down to the possessed doll.

After having enough, he listed him on for £200 and became intrigued despite the warnings. The 42-year-old received the doll in June 2023 –and says pain has been inflicted on her family ever since.

She said: “As soon as I opened the box, the room went freezing cold and a heavy depression filled the air. I knew then there was definitely something attached to this doll.

“It didn’t feel right from the beginning to keep him in the house, so I put him in a glass box with some holy water.

“Since then, I’ve worked with Norman a few times, but that same feeling comes washing over me. It fills my bones with dread.”

What's more, Candice says she regularly hears Norman speaking with her three-year-old son. The paranormal hunter and haunted doll collector, from Cornwall, said: “In the night, I can hear my little boy talking to someone. He also starts laughing, which is very strange.

“I’ve had nightmares, which can be troublesome. I wake up in a panic because I’m drowning or being attacked by an unseen figure.

“I’ve even felt my hand being bitten while dreaming. I sensed something making sounds in our bathroom and heard an evil voice calling my name in my sleep. It all felt so real.”

The mum keeps Norman in a little outhouse in their garden, so he’s kept at a distance from her family. However, she believes he’s found a way through.

She said: “My health hasn’t always been great, but it was under control. Since getting him, it’s much worse.

“I have , and also random bruises that come up on my body for no reason. I’ve got a scratch on my back that looks like deep claw marks, too. My partner, Nick, needs a hip replacement, as that has taken a turn for the worse.

"It just feels like never ending bad luck. I don’t know if it's a result of this demonic doll.”

While Candice is a bit creeped out by the doll, she’s keen to work with him for the foreseeable future. She said: “He does remind me of something out of the Chucky movies. It seems he’s out to get anyone that stands in his way.

“The bottom line is that you’re not safe around him, especially if you have children, as he wants them all to himself. I would never trust him around a child, as I think he’s focused on manipulating them.

“It whispers things, words that can cause real harm; even death. I really do think he’s the most possessed doll in the UK – maybe the .

“To be able to inflict such pain and accidents as he has done really makes you wonder how far he will go. I do all of what is needed to protect [my family]. I use sage, crystals, holy water – anything I can.

“I want to prove that there is life after death, and that not all objects are evil, some just need help. But I’ve got to keep my wits about me, as I don’t know what could happen next.”