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School children have been left screaming and sobbing after a priest carried out a mass exorcism on them at a religious camp.

The 1,000 young people, from schools in the town of Gryfice, north-western Poland, were attending the three-day camp to help "young people explore God and devote themselves to spiritual renewal through prayer".

But instead of singing songs and praying, priest Tomas Wieczorek, 37, was more interested in exorcising their demons and replacing them with God.

(Image: CEN)

Shocked mum Magda Rutkowska, 43, said: "On the first day he took a few of the children on stage and placed his hand on their foreheads one by one and started repeating ‘Holy Spirit, come. Holy Spirit, come.’

"Some of the children fainted while others started crying."

When other students went to help their semi-conscious pals, the priest commanded them to stay still, adding: "God is entering their souls and banishing the Devil."

Some children touched by the priest began screaming while others burst out into fits of laughter.

(Image: CEN)

A student who was there said: "It was really scary, almost like a mental asylum.

"Some of them were writhing on the floor, others were laughing hysterically and others were screaming and crying.

"The priest said he was purifying them but it was all too much for most of us.

"The next day we didn’t turn up because we were scared about what would happen."

(Image: CEN)

School psychologist Halina Wysocka said: "Children are not emotionally mature enough to experience prayer during which the Holy Spirit may enter them.

"The methods presented were similar to those in religious sects."

An area church spokesman said: "We haven’t received any complaints so far, so there’s no problem."