When the Lights Went Out review

Poltergeist comes to David Peace territory in this ‘true’ tale of a haunting in 1970s Yorkshire.

When pre-teen Tasha Connor and her parents move into their new council house, they encounter all the standard spooky signs (cold spots, flying furniture, ghostly apparitions) plus some peculiar to the decade, such as a possessed Etch A Sketch and a Slinky with a mind of its own.

Writer/director Pat Holden ( Awaydays ) based the story on events that supposedly happened on his estate, but besides a couple of decent low-key jolts, hearsay and heroic art direction alone don’t add up to t’ Exorcist .