A 13-year-old schoolboy has claimed that he was attacked by a ghost while home alone.

Daniel Wilkins, from Hartlepool, Teeside, alleges that he was relaxing on the sofa when an invisible force dragged him across the room and out into the street.

The teenager's mother Beverley later returned home to find her son outside the front door - which had been locked from the inside.

Speaking to the Daily Star, she insisted: "I know it sounds mad but there is no other explanation. Daniel hasn't done it to himself. He said he was sitting on the sofa listening to music when he suddenly felt someone grab him and pick him up. His feet came off the floor, then someone started pushing him towards the living room door.

"Whatever it was then tried to push him into the kitchen. He said the front door flew open and he was grabbed by the arms and pushed into the street."

Local priest Father Richard Masshedar has now vowed to assist the family in any way possible over the coming weeks.

He said: "I went to see the family to offer prayers. We take it one step at a time and the first step was for me to visit the family with a church warden."

A neighbour added: "We are all scared to death in case whatever it is decides to move in with us."