Owner of world's most 'haunted doll' claims it has attacked 17 men. Full story

The doll's disturbing behaviour extends beyond physical attacks. (Image: @ghosts_of_britain/Instagram)

An antique doll, reputedly possessed by the spirit of a jilted bride named Elizabeth, has been at the centre of numerous paranormal incidents at the Haunted Objects Museum in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The doll, which has gained a reputation as the "most haunted" in the world, is said to have attacked at least 17 men, leaving some with physical injuries, New York Post reported.

Lee Steer, 37, a paranormal investigator and the owner of the museum, purchased the doll for £866 on eBay after learning of its purported hostility towards men. Steer himself became a victim of the doll's alleged malevolence when he experienced a burning sensation on his neck during an investigation in the museum’s "bridal doll room." Later, he discovered scratches on his back, which witnesses described as resembling a pentagram.

"It seems like the doll has a hatred towards men," Steer stated. "There have been well over 15 people who have come to me to say they have been scratched. It is all men and never a woman that it has attacked," he told the outlet.

The doll's disturbing behaviour extends beyond physical attacks. According to Steer, the doll has also been responsible for setting off fire alarms, moving objects around the room, and causing electronic interference in video footage. During one paranormal investigation, a perfume bottle was reportedly thrown across the room, and the words "bride" and "haunting" mysteriously appeared on video footage.

Jon-Paul Kenny, 34, another paranormal investigator, experienced a similarly unsettling encounter with the doll while filming a TikTok live session in the museum. Kenny described feeling a tug on his shirt, as if someone had grabbed him from behind, despite being alone in the room with only his girlfriend and the doll.

"I felt someone grab my shirt and my skin was touched," Kenny recalled. "It was 100% the bridal doll that did this to me."

Kenny also noted that he had the eerie sensation of seeing the figure of a bride in a white dress out of the corner of his eye throughout the night. "I wasn’t scared, but it put me on edge," he admitted.

The origins of the doll’s alleged hatred towards men remain unclear. Steer speculated that the spirit within the doll may have been mistreated by a man in life, or that her wedding had gone awry, leading her to haunt the bridal doll. Alternatively, Steer suggested that the doll might be acting out of jealousy, as the museum recently acquired famous artefacts from the horror film series "The Conjuring".

Sarah Carter, 32, Steer’s partner, confirmed that the doll’s behaviour is predominantly directed towards men. "It [the doll] has moved stuff in the room while I’ve been there, but it has only claimed to have scratched a male," she explained. Carter now avoids the bridal doll room altogether, citing her discomfort with the doll’s presence.