PSYCHIC medium Tony Stockwell appreciates that not everyone will understand what he does.

“I suppose it does seem a bit strange to some people,” said Tony, who will be at the Thwaites Empire Theatre in Blackburn next month. “But on the other hand, it’s been a part of my life for so long that I do find it weird when people don’t get it.”

Tony has been one of the country’s leading mediums for almost 30 years.

“You demonstrate your belief that you are in communion with others that have passed on,” he said.

“The whole idea is that I stand up on stage and I hear and feel things and I relay that to the group. My job is to be as accurate and as specific as possible so that it defies logic.

“It is a wonderful thing. What you are trying to tell them is the truth and if that gets a wonderful reaction from that person, that’s even better.

“I do get a lot of letters following demonstrations saying ‘it’s made a big difference to my life’.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a letter saying ‘you gave me a message and I didn’t like it’. It is positive. That’s why I continue to do it.

“I’m 30-odd years into it now and it’s very much part of who I am and what I do.”

When he’s not giving demonstrations, Tony says that he is able to ‘switch off’ in terms of receiving messages when he goes about the normal daily routines.

“Sometime I may be aware of a feeling or a presence but it’s not like there’s a constant dialogue,” he said. He added that the messages he receives are not usually personal one.

But he recently did get one while recovering from a severe case of chicken pox which meant he had to spend five days in hospital.

“When I was poorly in hospital I felt my grandma who died 30 years ago so close to me,” he said.

“She leaned forward to embrace me and for a moment I thought ‘bloody hell, I’m going to join her’ but she was there to let me know she was aware of what was going on and to comfort me.”

Tony is now recovered from the illness which caused him to cancel a few demonstrations.

“I’m back on track now so there’s no stopping me,” he said.

Tony said that he understands people may be sceptical but all he asks is that those who attend his demonstrations do so with an open mind.

“The buildings have a massive effect on our abilities to connect and then whoever comes along to the demonstration can also have an effect,” he said.

“If people are there willing to give it a go, they are the demonstrations that go well.”

“It’s all about the collective.

“You really are at the mercy of the group and if the majority of people are open and happy then generally it goes rather well."

Tony Stockwell, Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn, Wednesday, July 5. Details from 01254 685500 or www.thwaitesempiretheatre.co.uk