Suburban spooks top box office

Actress Katie Featherston, star of the film ''Paranormal Activity'' poses at the US Weekly Fall Hot Hollywood Issue party in West Hollywood, California November 18, 2009.

LONDON (Reuters) - Horror thriller "Paranormal Activity" reached the top of the box office on its second weekend of release, according to Screen International on Tuesday.

The story of a young couple trying to capture video evidence of a supernatural presence in their home made 1.83 million pounds to climb up from second place.

Walt Disney's high-tech adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," was also up one at two.

Last week's chart-topper "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," which registered one of the year's highest box office openings at 11.68 million pounds, was down in third place.

"Planet 51" was new at four with the story of an alien race living the life of 1950s America.

Gerard Butler as the "Law Abiding Citizen" avenging the murder of his wife and daughter was unchanged at five while disaster movie "2012" slipped two places to six.

"Nativity," with two schools competing through Christmas plays, was down one at seven, just above newcomer Cameron Diaz and James Marsden in "The Box," the story of a couple having to make a choice between wealth and death, which made its debut at eight.

Horror thriller "The Descent: Part 2" came in at nine while "A Serious Man" by Joel and Ethan Coen, a black comedy set on campus in 1967, stayed at 10.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)