A RETIRED police officer served up a haunted house as well as home cooking to win a £1,000 prize on hit TV show Come Dine With Me.

Kerry Tolliday, from Stambridge Road, Stambridge, enlisted the help of her psychic friend to seek out ghosts and spirits that haunt her 400-year old house to create a unique dining experience.

The 41-year-old treated four other contestants on the Channel 4 show to a feast of traditional home cooked British flavours to win the competition.

But before they got started and could tuck into their dinner they were given a personal tour of the former bakery and were treated to spooky tales and possible sightings of a young boy, by psychic medium Nicky Alan.

The mum-of-two said: “I went down the traditional cooking route because the house I live in is very old and parts of it date back four centuries. A few of my friends have said they have seen ghosts here and things move around all the time so I thought to be different I would get a psychic in.

“Some of the contestants were sceptical, but they seemed to enjoy themselves and I learnt a bit more about the place.”

Kerry kicked off her evening with baked scallops with bread crumbs and garlic followed by stuffed belly of Canewdon pork with bubble and squeak, finished off with a trio of fruity tarts with vanilla custard.

She said: “It was such a fantastic experience and we are all such big characters we just had a lot of fun messing around and having a laugh.

“I am such a big fan of the show. They were advertising for people in Southend to take part so I applied in July and they started filming a few weeks later.

It was really hard work, especially with all the camera crews at your house, but I love cooking.

“I made sure I was an attentive hostess and everyone was happy so I think that worked well for me. The contestants all still keep in touch.”

The programme will run from next Monday for five days from 5pm.