MOST religions that I know of are based on the assumption that there is an after-life. But is there any truth in it?

Professor Peter Atkins (Oxford Mail, October 8), says: “There is absolutely no evidence”. Whereas Graham Butler (Mail, October 13) says: “I myself have witnessed phenomena in seances under test conditions.”

I have grave doubts that ghosts exist. Those who see ghosts see them fully clothed. But how can man-made garments materialise?

Secondly, those who attend seances hear their loved ones speak to them via the medium. Do they speak in their mother tongue, which may be a foreign language, or is it always English, if the medium is also English?

Having said this, I must confess that I have experienced two spooky moments that did momentarily unnerve me.

The first occasion occurred in 1952 in the annex of the Elms Hotel (now called Hawkwell House Hotel).

Late one night I woke up wanting to go to the toilet, which was located on the floor below.

As I walked down the stairs in the dim light, a figure passed me which gave me the shivers. With so many guests staying there (mainly students) I was surprised that no-one had mentioned seeing a ghost or said anything about the annex being haunted.

I did not experience that sensation again for one very good reason.

On the following day as I walked slowly down the stairs, I realised that I had seen my reflection in a tall, narrow mirror that was fixed to the wall.

My second spooky experience was when I was carrying out my final inspection in preparation for the taking over of Singletree sheltered housing complex in Rose Hill. For those who are not familiar with the area, Singletree complex is located adjacent to the cemetery where, after 4pm, it is dead quiet.

I was alone in the building as the contractor’s workforce had packed up for the day.

Silence can be eerie, though one gets used to it. But as I walked down one of the corridors, a sudden noise startled me.

I turned round just in time to see the door to the screen I had passed through closing slowly and then with a final jerk shutting firmly to the frame.

One look at my watch quelled my fears of something sinister. The time-clocks governing the closing of fire-check doors had been set for 5.30pm and they worked.

VIM RODRIGO, Rose Hill, Oxford