'I’m a fairy whisperer - people think I'm mad but I turn into a mermaid in the bath' A self-confessed “fairy whisperer”, who has been able to see the mythical beings since she was a child, says she’s also in touch with other fabled creatures including mermaids.
“I drift off and sometimes it literally feels like I've got a tail, it can feel so powerful.” But she’s far from alone, Karen is part of an international community who believe in fairies, and gather at fairy festivals to dress up, swap stories and listen to alternative music.
In fact, Karen Kay, 60, from Truro, Cornwall, gets close to them with a ritual bath where she adds a handful of sand to the tub, before placing mermaid figurines, soaps, shells and candles around her.
“I was always a bit alternative, whatever I did but even then, I dressed as a goth fairy, with black wings and tutus, and had my first fairy tattoo done.”.
“Fairies are connected with children, who have their eyes open, they’re untarnished, and ever since then, when I was just four or five years old, I’ve not just been a believer, it’s become my life.”.
