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A "socially harmful cult" which has taught burping therapy to get rid of evil spirits is reportedly holding sessions at a bed and breakfast in Somerset.

Four-star guest house The Lighthouse, in Frome, is said to hosting a group called Universal Medicine.

A civil court in Australia found Universal Medicine makes false claims about healing in a defamation case last December, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

It found that cult founder Serge Benhayon used bizarre forms of sexual manipulation and persuaded followers to shun loved ones who wouldn't join his cult.

SomersetLive reports that the group's website say UK courses 'are presented at The Lighthouse Accommodation and B & B in Frome, Somerset'

Serge has always denied running a cult and any wrong doing, saying he is the victim of a media witch hunt.

(Image: AAP/PA Images)

The cult also faced claims that breast massages were used as an alternative to modern medicine.

The group was founded in 1999 by Serge - a former bankrupt tennis coach who claims to be the reincarnation of Leonardo da Vinci.

Serge now lives as a millionaire in Australia but twice a year he is said to visit the cult's B&B in the Somerset village of Tytherington, near Frome.

Two families have claimed alienated them from their loved ones from them.

Kasha said she was 12 when her mum started following Universal medicine.

(Image: GOOGLE)

She told the BBC: "I realised that she wasn't mum any more, so that was quite difficult."

Kasha claimed her mum started to act bizarrely after joining the cult

She said: "She started burping ridiculously and she said 'I'm just burping out bad spirits'."

Kasha says she realised there was no hope and she would just have to let her mum go.

"I think Serge is a cruel man with cruel intentions. I genuinely think he's a monster," she said.

"She's still my mum and I love her. But she's never going to be the person that she was or the person I even remember her to be.

Another man, John, told the BBC that Universal Medicine alienated his wife and daughter from him.

He said: "Its the way they get inside people's heads and brainwash them into doing this that are not natural."

(Image: AAP/PA Images)

Members are allegedly told what to eat, when to sleep and who to mix with.

Simon Williams, managing director of the Lighthouse, is a follower of Universal Medicine and a friend of Serge's.

He's also president of the Frome Chambers of Commerce.

He told a BBC reporter that the court ruling in Australia was "totally untrue" and people didn't understand what Universal Medicine was about.

Last year Mr Benhayon took a former patient to court in Australia for defamation.

Esther Rockett had been blogging about his practices, claiming he indecently touched her during an "ovarian reading".

A jury found in her favour.

When contacted by Mirror Online, the Lighthouse B&B refused to comment.

he BBC Inside Out West documentary is now on iPlayer and can be found here.