Highgate could be turning into a ghost town, according to a paranormal investigator.

David Farrant, president of the British Psychic and Occult Society, claims he was the first person to see a seven-foot-tall eerie spirit outside the gates of Highgate Cemetery in 1969 and “dozens and dozens” of sightings have been reported ever since.

The investigator, who has written several books describing his experience, including In The Shadow of Highgate’s Vampire, said: “Since 2005 there have been more sightings and there is no reason to think it won’t continue.”

The comments come after the Haringey Independent revealed this week that a team of ghost hunters, known as the North London Paranormal Investigators (NLPI), came face to face with the spirit in the cemetery just after 10pm on Wednesday, June 20.

Mr Farrant, who lives in Muswell Hill Road in Highgate, is convinced the NLPI’s sighting was of the very same mysterious figure because their experience was so similar to his own.

Both parties claim the figure was male, tall, wearing dark clothing and disappeared after just a few seconds.

Despite only seeing the ghost once, he says he will never forget his experience.

He said: “My first reaction was like it was so real that I actually thought it was someone dressed up or messing about because all these stories about vampires were in the news.

“It all happened so quickly - the whole thing lasted for four to five seconds and felt like whatever it was filled me with energy, it is difficult to explain, and suddenly it just vanished.”

He said although many people expect ghosts to be transparent, the spirit was in fact deep black and solid.

The vision also had two piercing bright white eyes, and although the media has widely described the ghoul as a vampire, he has never said this is the case - instead it simply had the quality of a vampire as it is so tall and enrobed in dark clothing.

According to Mr Farrant, the atmosphere felt noticeably cold while he was confronted with the spirit, like he was standing in a fridge.

Although he said he could see the figure's face, he said its features were not distinguishable and he could not pin an age of the ghoul.

He added: “It was by some branches but as soon as I turned up I was aware of something standing there and it was exuding a feeling of not evil, but menace.”

His wife Della, who is also a member of the British Psychic and Occult Society, is dedicated to recording sightings of the mysterious figure.

She said many of the reported sightings of the spirit, including that of the NLPT, are identical. According to Mrs Farrant, he is often seen in pubs in Highgate and is not confined to the cemetery.

She even said one witness watched the figure float from Swain's Lane from the east side to the west side of the cemetery in August 2005.

The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, claims the male spirit was dressed in a three-quarter length coat and a top hat.

The figure even whispered “Good evening to you sir” to the terrified onlooker, despite him standing more than eight feet away.

According to the married couple, a supernatural ley line runs through Highgate, which attracts ghosts and spirits to the area.