Living among the dead: Former gravedigger on life in city's biggest cemetery

There are few houses in Birmingham quite as unique as that of Marc Cox.

Nestled awkwardly between the booming M6 and the deafening silence of Witton cemetery - Marc has been living in a cold, dark corner of the city's biggest graveyard for 23 years.

While most of us would shudder at the thought of living yards away from thousands of graves, as a former gravedigger and veteran of the first Gulf War, death has never fazed Marc.

As we sit looking out at the burial ground from his living room window, the Birmingham City Council tenant says he 'loves' life in his remote home and 'has never thought of moving.'

But even for a former soldier like Marc - who has seen some terrifying things in his time - living among the dead can take its toll.

The 54-year-old spoke about about his experiences of paranormal activity - and the 'little girl in the window' he shares his home with.

"I've been to war, I’m scared of the living, not the dead," Marc laughs, "but saying that, there have been a few incidents over the course of my time here that have scared me stiff."

Marc tells me about the 'Grey Girl' - a ghostly figure of a young girl with long, black hair draped over her face dressed all in grey.

He says he first saw her years ago, looking at him through the back window of his property.

"I didn’t think anything of her at the time but a few years later I was approached by a group of mourners who I got chatting to.

"I told them I lived alone and they asked: 'Who’s that girl we always see in your window?'

"I’ve been to war but nothing has scared me stiff like that. I do feel like there’s something in it."

But that spirit of the little girl - which would have most of us packing our bags and running for the hills - has never fazed Marc.

As we talk, his two cats play next to us, and as he speaks of the ghost- who he has affectionately named Amy - it’s easy to forget she isn’t just another one of his pets.

"There’s a comfort in it," he says. "I think she looks after me, she’s never done me any harm."

Marc moved into what must be Birmingham's most unusual address in 1999 after taking a job as a grave digger three years earlier.

He originally moved in with his wife before they divorced.

For a house nestled in the corner of a graveyard, you’d think Halloween earlier this week would have been a busy time for Marc - but he says he never gets any trick-or-treaters.

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"Halloween is a funny one because I’ve never, ever had any kids come knocking at my door," he chuckles.

"Maybe they’re too scared, but I end up having all the sweets myself.

"When my kids were little they used to make me re-enact scenes from The Addams Family films with them out on the graveyard - they loved it."

For a conversation dominated by talk of death and ghostly apparitions, it’s surprising how much me and Marc laugh as we chat.

He says having a dark sense of humour is essential to living in a place like this - and he doesn’t see himself moving any time soon.

"Back when I was a gravedigger, I put the 'fun' into the funeral,” he laughs.

"Even now, people ask me how I can live here - but I always say 'what do you mean? People are dying to come here!"

"I just love how isolated I am here - it's very peaceful. I don’t know what it is, I just find it comforting. I've never thought of moving, I’m very happy here."