'I collect haunted dolls - but I'm too scared to keep them in my home'
Candice Collins' hobby is a far cry from collecting stamps or vintage cars.
The mum of three in fact has an obsession with not just antique dolls - but ones which are supposedly possessed. Over the years, the 41-year-old has amassed dozens of allegedly haunted dolls as part of her lifelong fascination with the paranormal.
But the nature of her prized possessions means that she cannot display them at home, instead keeping them securely locked away in an undisclosed location out of fear for her family's safety. Candice, from Falmouth, Cornwall, says she's "always been fascinated in paranormal objects".
“I look everywhere – in charity shops, on eBay, haunted auctions – anywhere really," she said. "We’ve got quite a collection now!” The mum says she longs to move somewhere with enough space for a shed or outbuilding so she can store the demonic dolls closer to home. Along with partner Nick Pierce, she dreams of one day being able to open a museum for the eerie figurines.
Candice with Normand - one of the 'demonic' dolls in her collection (Greg Martin/CornwallLive)Each doll and object comes with a sorry tale of a series of unfortunate events that happened to their previous owners, Cornwall Live reports, so bringing them into their home is out of the question for Candice. Amongst the collection are also an array of other haunted objects, including a ouija board, weaponry and several paintings.
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“I grew up in a haunted house, so I’ve seen spirits my whole life,” said Candice who also runs a paranormal investigation group, Cornish Ghost Whispers. “I’d see children running through the house. I saw an old lady walk past the window when there was no one in the garden. Black shadows. People whispering. Things moving and lights going on and off.”
These spooky childhood experiences have made Candice “fascinated with finding the truth". Whilst she is a devout believer in the paranormal, Candice says that each time she buys a new doll or object for her collection, she is interested in finding out how haunted they are and how that paranormal activity manifests itself.
Clive the cursed doll, who is said to have inflicted wounds on customers when he was on display in a shop (Greg Martin)However, with keen collectors like Candice searching for haunted possessions, there are plenty of hoaxers taking advantage of the burgeoning market. “It is hit and miss with what you buy.” Candice admits. “You can’t guarantee that everything will be haunted. But because I’ve grown up with the paranormal I feel drawn to certain things. I feel the energy from them.”
One of Candice's dolls is Normand, a doll that hit the headlines earlier this year when the previous owner's dad claimed it was possessed and was to blame for a run of bad luck, including a burst appendix. Normand had previously belonged to five-year-old Violet, who told her dad "Normand doesn’t like you, Daddy.”
After which, Christian Hawksworth, 48, from Sheffield, suffered an exploding appendix, was shot at, had his car brakes fail and saw his salary severely reduced. He put this all down to the doll.
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