A ‘SPIRITUAL healer’ has hit back after a vicar warned vulnerable people not to be ‘duped’ by his promises.

Yesterday, the Rev Malcolm Bristow issued a plea to residents not to respond to cards posted in Ladybridge advertising Mr Khalifa, who claims to ‘unite separated families, remove black magic, and protect them from bad people’.

Mr Khalifa has now responded to say that the criticism was malicious and deliberately aimed at tarnishing his work.

A spokesman added: “Mr Khalifa offers a different method of healing, spiritually and guidance.

"He gets no government funding or a free house from the state to live in.

“Mr Khalifa respects all religions and cultures.

“He genuinely believes and helps people from all faiths and backgrounds.

“He does this not for his own financial gain - he has been helping people around the world for over 15 years.”

Mr Bristow, associate priest at the Parish Church of St Bede in Morris Green, warned parishioners that they could be left ‘damaged — financially, spiritually and emotionally’ if they contacted Mr Khalifa.

The cards, which said Mr Khalifa would ‘remove all spells and bad luck’ in just a few days, were delivered to homes in Ladybridge on Monday.

Vicar's warning against 'spiritual healer' Mr Khalifa, who claims to unite separated families and remove black magic

The spokesman added: “His method is to bring unity and help people, families or loved ones through mutual respect and understanding, which we all seem to have forgotten.

“Black magic or, as we call it, possession of the body does exist as also agreed by the Vatican.

“Mr Khalifa doesn’t do exorcism of any type but helps heal through herbal and spiritual healing.

“Please don’t mock religion it is a sin.

“All the comments on the article are in the view of the people of this community and I feel that we are misjudged, a lot of his customers have seen results and he has had no complaints about his work.”

Mr Bristow warned that the claims contained in Mr Khalifa’s advert were designed to take ‘vulnerable people’s cash and giving them nothing in return’.

He also reported that a neighbour had received a similar leaflet with the name ‘Yunus’.