What have the paranormal, reincarnation or psychic phenomena to do with rugged, handsome Oliver Tobias? Quite a lot. He has a strong interest in all these subjects as I found out when I visited him recently at his London home. It is a typical bachelor domain with a strong sense of timelessness.

I noticed that standing on the mantlepiece was a rather lovely ornate gilt clock. Strange, I thought, it has no face or hands. He has surrounded himself with many beautiful pieces of carefully chosen furniture, antiques and huge portraits of people long dead.

Oliver spoke frankly about his experiences.

We discussed reincarnation. He thought carefully as he spoke. "Yes - I have rather a complicated family background. My paternal grandmother is Austrian and Hungarian, my father Swiss whilst my mother is German." He grinned. "But basically I’m Swiss - I think!"

He continued, "You know it’s strange, but when I first came to England when I was eight years old, I screamed and cried all the way from Dover to London," he recalled. "It was as if I had an affinity with England. It seemed as if I had been here before, certainly I sensed something even at that young age. It was almost a rejection, perhaps a fear of the future or past."

He paused, looking at me questioningly, then continued. "But it was very strange, because it had not been decided then that I was to come to school here. It was as if I knew my future lay on these shores. I must have been aware that I would end up living here just as I have done.

"Now, my place is in Spain, very high up on top of a mountain. I have a strong spiritual feeling when I’m there. I become more aware of everything. I can see things far more clearly, my sensory system seems to come alive. It’s as if everything is much more beautiful. People act quite differently there. It has a sense of peace, almost like a coming home. Everything there is so highly enhanced."

Oliver has never actually seen what one might describe as a spirit or a ghost but he told me that he is very sensitively aware of any atmospheres, good or bad. "If it’s bad I just get out of the place as quickly as I can," he laughed. He likes to think of himself as an uncomplicated person. What I found unusual was his positive acceptance of life, death and events which could be very frightening to many other people.

For example, he spoke quite casually of an event which occurred during his childhood. Now this could have affected him quite deeply, yet as he said, "It seemed perfectly natural to me at that time. My grandfather used to hold seances at which I was often present - although never actually taking part," Oliver explained.

"I was allowed to sit quietly in he room with them whilst a session was in progress, when one evening quite suddenly the large heavy table around which a group of people were seated, elevated itself several feet into the air."

I interrupted. "Where you scared?" I asked.

Oliver answered, "No, - I felt absolutely no sense of fear or even surprise as I watched my grandfather and one other person walk slowly, about three yards across the room. Their hands were resting lightly on the top of the table as they moved until finally the table stopped and slowly sank down to the floor again.

"My grandfather was always interested in this type of thing, yet I have never personally become involved. Of course I believe in it. There is too much proof, you can’t ignore the truth. I’m always searching for spiritual enlightenment in my own way. I’ve tried meditation, yoga, the lot, but I would never become involved in anything too deep, like black magic or witchcraft. That can be dangerous.

"But my real feelings are in some strange way linked with the past. I love old things, the feel, the smell of them and, of course, the sea." He spoke seriously of his love of the sea, ships and sailing.

Oliver has a depth of knowledge seldom found these days, yet he is as he says, a very uncomplicated person. His acceptance of this life, and his surety of his own deep feelings for the past must surely give him great confidence in the future. Although he would never admit it, I am sure he has the ability to look forward into his own life. He explains this as "My daydreams - I often dream a lot." He said, "Often these dreams come true."