The Wisbech St Mary Sports and Community Centre hosted a special night of mediumship that was prompted by the late cancellation of a television celebrity psychic last month.

The New Christian Spiritualists’ Society presented spiritualism and its mediums to the public as a free event.

The centre committee decided not to charge its usual hire fee and the mediums agreed not to receive any financial reward for their work.

Almost 100 people attended and more than 20 members of the audience received ‘messages from heaven’ - as promised by the publicity poster.

All five mediums, introduced by the head of the NCSS, the most reverend Lyn Gibb de Swarte, gave four communications from the spirit world each. Some messages in the five minute slots allocated for the purpose, were for two or three people who were obviously connected to each otherm they said.

Rev Lyn Gibb-de Swarte said: “There was much laughter and a few tears by recipients as mothers, grandmothers, fathers, and grandfathers, and friends, came forward to make contact through the very able and experienced exponents on the stage.”

These were Littleport’s Rev Lyn Gibb-de Swarte, Rev Nick Brown, and Rev Cathy Gibb-de Swarte; nicknamed ‘the Lincolnshire Poacher’ Rev Arthur Wright, and Peterborough’s Shelley Youell.

Graham Drew, of the centre’s committee, thanked everyone concerned for a great event, and those who attended for their donations that raised more than £100 - the usual hire charge for a non-commercial community event.