A pair of 'disgruntled ghosts' have been blamed for a restaurant fire that took place just two days after ghost hunters aired a TV show about them.
Rob Braddick, who owns The Pier House, in Westward Ho!, Devon, was stunned to discover a tumble dryer had caught fire earlier this month on April 3 and caused £25,000 worth of damage.
The machine was located next door to Seafield House - his 'haunted house' which was investigated by paranormal investigators for TV show 'Help! My House is Haunted'.
During the episode, which aired on March 31, ghost hunters claimed spirits named Henry and Elizabeth haunt the 19th-century building and that they communicated with them by rolling marbles.
When paranormal sceptic Rob posted about the fire, locals blamed the ghosts by claiming they must have been 'upset' that he allowed the team to film inside the home and expose them on TV.
Startling images show a room inside the restaurant black with soot and the two tumble dryers burned beyond repair.
Rob's tongue-in-cheek post said: "FOR SALE. Slightly used tumble dryer - recently serviced by Elizabeth and Henry."
One commented: "You've obviously upset them by letting those crazy people try to get them to communicate."
Another said: "They've given up the ghost. Time to go back to the basement."
Rob bought the former B&B six years ago and believed it to be haunted, according to rumours.
So when he was approached by TV producers to film there, he invited them in.
He says they filmed inside the cliff-edge property last March for around a week. where they claimed to have contacted two spirits called Henry and Elizabeth, the daughter of the house's builder.
The fire at The Pier House was contained downstairs by fire doors but replacing two tumble dryers, a washing machine, multiple melted items and removing black soot is said to cost around £25,000.
The restaurant had to be closed but reopened the next day, and Rob remains unconvinced the ghosts are to blame for the freak blaze.
Rob, from Westward Ho!, said: "It's a completely bizarre coincidence that this programme is aired on Friday night and on Monday I've got the first fire we've ever had.
"It's not convinced me to believe in ghosts yet. I need to see something first-hand.
"It [the house] looks like something out of Scooby Doo because it's right on the edge of a cliff. My idea is to refurbish the house into a really nice property.
"The TV people said we should find out if it's haunted once and for all, then we can draw a line under it and decide if it's haunted or not. I'm not really a believer."
Despite Rob's scepticism, more fans of his restaurant piled on to blame the ghouls for the blaze.
One said: "You've upset the hunchbacked ghost from the creepy house!"
A second added: "Oh no, have Lizzy and Hooray Henry taken up residence at The Pier. That'll teach you for 'outing' them!"
Help! My House is Haunted have been contacted for comment
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