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A "psychic" taxi driver has insisted he's no stalker after a teenage girl complained he knew too much about her.

Tony Cole, 60, is well-known around Teesside for offering readings to his customers.

But the Ormesby dad-of-six has found himself in hot water with the Middlesbrough Council's licensing authority after a complaint.

A college student was said to be so distressed after the Boro Cars driver dropped her off, she reported her concerns to a teacher.

Mr Cole said he'd told the girl, thought to be in her late teens, about how she'd got dressed that morning on the journey, but knew it through his psychic abilities.

(Image: Teesside Live)

He told Teesside Live: "It's utterly shocked me, I thought 'oh my god you couldn't make this s*** up.'

"I picked a customer up and I must have been telling them stuff, I have scared the life out of them, they have gone into the college crying, the teacher has said I must have been stalking her.

"The teacher has said 'oh my god he must have been in your bedroom'."

Mr Cole said he knew what the teenager had done that morning through his psychic abilities, and he'll regularly tell "10 people stuff every day in the car".

He said: "I told her that when she had got out of bed, she had put some clothes on, then she decided she didn't want them on, then she swapped her clothes.

"I was telling her about her brother and I think it must have been too close to the bone."

While he openly admits he's been in prison "four or five times", Mr Cole insists he's no stalker, and says most of his passengers enjoy it when he gives readings.

(Image: Teesside Live)

Two decades ago the cabbie said he woke up on his 40th birthday hearing voices and he has been practising spiritualism ever since.

He's a regular booking in Teesside pubs and clubs and says "everywhere I go, I have got people raving about me", adding he has ambitions to get on TV.

He calls himself the 'Chubby Brown of spiritualism' and says he "puts something different into it", adding: "I did a show in Seaton Carew a couple of weeks ago and had them all p***ing themselves".

Mr Cole said he has given a statement to the licensing authority about the complaint and is nervously awaiting the outcome.

He added: "I love my job, I love telling people things, it makes me happy.

"I can't afford to lose my job, I'm just the same as everybody else."

Mr Cole said he has often offered readings to passengers during his three-and-a-half years as a taxi driver, particularly those who seem upset or in need.

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said: “A complaint was received from a member of the public about the behaviour of a local taxi driver.

“The driver concerned will receive a letter of advice regarding his future conduct.”