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Almost 100 schoolchildren are thought to have been 'possessed' by the devil - and see visions of a man in black trying to kill them.

In what has been described as a mass case of demonic possession, the pupils in Peru are experiencing seizures alongside their horrifying halluncinations.

Experts have struggled to explain the strange goings-on, which also include widespread convulsions and fainting at the school , reportedly built on a Mafia graveyard.

According to local reports, as many as 80 students at the Elsa Perea Flores School in northern Peru’s Tarapoto have been experiencing the supposedly contagious ‘condition’ since last month.

(Image: CEN)

Children aged between 11 and 14 are reportedly fainting and having strong muscular convulsions.

Shocking video footage shows pupils who are barely conscious, repeatedly screaming, and who appear to be delirious.

Doctor Antony Choy told national channel Panamericana TV: "We don’t understand how this has kept on going on.

"We know it started on 29th April and now it is still happening. Now there are almost 80 pupils [still affected]."

Elsa de Pizango, a concerned mother whose daughter has experienced some of the symptoms, said: "She fainted in school. They didn’t say anything at the hospital. She just fainted. She keeps on spitting froth from her mouth."

(Image: CEN)

A pupil, not named in local media, described their experience: "It’s disturbing for me to think about it. It’s as if someone kept on chasing me from behind. It was a tall man all dressed in black and with a big beard and it felt like he was trying to strangle me.

"My friends say I was screaming desperately, but I don’t remember much."

Another schoolgirl said she had trouble breathing and was desperately holding her neck as if someone was strangling her. According to her friends, she kept screaming: "Take it out."

Another anonymous girl, aged 13, told local media: "Several children from different classrooms fainted at the same time. I got nauseous and started vomiting. I heard voices. A man in black chased me and wanted to touch me."

Franklin Steiner, a parapsychologist who investigates paranormal and psychic phenomena - said: "It is known that years ago there were many victims of terrorism here. When this school was built, some say bones and dead bodies were found."

Locals believe this is a case of demonic interference, saying some children must have played games that invoke demons such as using a Ouija board.

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A Ouija board is marked with letters and numbers and some use it to communicate with souls of the dead. Many religious organisations have warned against using the boards, saying that they can lead to demonic possession.

As of yet, there has been no rational or official explanation for the strange phenomenon.