Haunted Magazine H2O - Ghost Storeis by Dead Good Publishing Ltd

HAUNTED MAGAZINE ISSUE H2O

Paranormal Is All Around Us,

CONTENTS

“I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes...” Summer is here, in fact it’s more than here, it has pulled up a seat next to me at Haunted Magazine HQ and is currently sipping a Pina Colada, wearing tight trunks and catching the rays through the window (note: if you’re reading this cos you’ve ordered a back issue and it’s a cold dreary day, on a ghastly rainy day in December, just use your imagination). So, what does the Paranormal do in the Summer? Does it go on holiday, does it find some rock to crawl under until it starts to get dark earlier again? HELL NO. Just like when Wet Wet Wet sand “Love is all around us” so is the Paranormal 24/7 365. We still seek out the spooks, we still investigate creepy locations and we still find ourselves loving what we do no matter what gruesome things we find out about the history of the location we are at. If Haunted Magazine was a theme park then you’re currently strapped into the Roller Coaster, ready for the ride of your life. The Paranormal is a genre, a sector, an industry like no other, there’s bumps, ups and downs, screams, lots of swear words, shrieks and lots of OMG moments and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We pride ourselves on creating a magazine for all, a voice for all, and whilst we love the fun, the jazz, the buzz and the parade of the paranormal, there is a dark, sinister, foreboding side to it, at times NOT FROM THE SPIRITS AND GHOSTS, but from the very people who say they love the paranormal. Whether it’s jealousy, bitterness, resentment or just plain stupidity, I do not know, I don’t think anyone does. Everyone, anyone is entitled to their opinion, that’s a given, but there’s ways to say it and ways not to say it, there’s a great heartfelt feature on Paranormal Trolls in this issue, written by a very dear friend of ours, maybe it will resonate with people who’ve experienced similar, maybe it will stop people from doing it, who knows? Sometimes things need to be said and her passionate well-worded feature is one of those times. LOVE and LIGHT eh? LOL. Right back to the fun side of the paranormal because just like the Hokey Cokey, “that’s what it’s all about”, yes? We got some great and good interviews in this issue, the paranormal really seems to be out there at the moment, on TV (new UK shows too), in the cinema, all over the fricking place, we even had some newbies on a recent HauntedLIVE event, they were so excited, couldn’t stop talking, chattering away like a flibbertigibbet, was probably nerves too but it’s great that there seems to be no set age for the paranormal, from teens to pensioners and long may it continue. Whether you are a believer, a sceptic, or stuck in the middle and not sure Haunted Magazine is here, not to preach or teach, not to bamboozle you with science or tell you you’re wrong and you need to listen to experts on how to hold a K2 Meter properly, if you’re after that you’re in for a spookshock. We are here to inform, to please, to entertain and to literally show that the paranormal is for all people of all beliefs, from all walks of life, if you learn something from us then that’s a bonus (but I doubt it LOL). Enjoy the magazine, that’s what it’s here for. And my final words are to the paranormal from the bottom of my heart, “you know I love you, I always will, my minds made up, by the way I feel, there’s no beginning, there’ll be no end, cause on my love, you can depend”, (thanks to Marti Pellow for the inspiration)

Paul

#DontBeNormal BE PARANORMAL!!

BEHIND THE SCREAMS:

SATANIC PANIC

THE APPARITION

WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY?

LOCAL HAUNTINGS

MY MOST SCARIEST HAUNTED LOCATION

TOWIP - THE ONLY WAY IS PARANORMAL!

THE INVISIBLE FRIEND

Spiriteam

with Mike Covell with Thomas Warrington with Jason Fellon

with Jenna Brazel, Skipton

with UKHAUNTED’s Miki York

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS with Rylan Clark-Neal and team by Decanus Fragaria

25 IS THE OUIJA BOARDS FACEBOOK FOR THE DEAD? by Sam Bennetts 26

WHWHMIBGF HMHIH!

THERE'S TROUBLE AT MILL

THE MYSTERY OF THE MALODOROUS MUMMY OF MANCHESTER MUSEUM!

THE ANT-EEKS GHOST SHOW

INSIDE CHERNOBYL

CHECKING IN

THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF

with Barri Ghai by Hubert Hobux

Comic strip with Dr Q. Weir

with Neil Packer of the Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre with Helena Eloise

with Spook Eats' Amanda Woomer

with Hazel Ford from Haunted Happenings

50 COVER FEATURE: GHOST STORIES

Interviews with Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson

WE DON'T NEED NO PERMIT TO INVESTIGATE 'THE HERMIT' WITH VICKY GRANT

62 ARE GRAVEYARDS HAUNTED BY DEFAULT with HauntedLIVE's James Pykett 63 MANNERS MAKETH MAN, MANORS MAKETH HAUNTINGS with Richard Estep HAUNT ED

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W I T H

S P I R I T E A M

A welcome return for a feature, written by a team, about themselves, what makes them tick, what makes them tock, when, where, who, why and all that goes with it. We could write this about them, but it wouldn’t be personal, so by writing from the heart and writing with passion, this is their story, their journey in their words…

Sammy C am e r a m a n / O c c a s i o n al inv es tig ator.

I consider myself a bit of an oddball. I’ve always been into heavy metal music and horror films and have a bit of an obsession with skulls! I’ve always been interested in filming and from a young age would create skateboarding videos of myself and friends so we could watch them together. I was really interested when I was offered the chance to help film an investigation and since becoming a full member of the team, I haven’t looked back. I am a sceptic and will do my best to debunk everything but I’ve experienced a few things I can’t explain. My favourite location so far has been The Savoy Theatre in Wales. I did a small performance on stage, a little experiment the team had devised to get the energy going in the room. It really seemed to work, in fact my hand received a really cold chill as if I had been given a ghostly handshake. I also got some intelligent responses during a lone vigil and although this hasn’t turned me into a full believer, I’ve opened my mind to the possibility. I would really love to investigate an old asylum, they always have great stories attached to them and hope one day to catch a full apparition on film. Bucket List Location: Bran Castle, Romania Favourite Gadget: Camera Best Experience: The handshake.

Kelly Lead Inve stiga tor/ Pre se nte r

I’ve always been fascinated by the paranormal and had my first experience when I was twelve years old. I saw the ghost of a girl, aged about 7 in my bedroom. She had dark hair, wore period clothing and was sat with her hands round her knees. Another family that lived in thehouse had a son who refused to sleep in that room, so I don’t think it was my imagination. My interest as an adult was fuelled when we started to experience things in our family home. As a busy mum of five, I started out very much a susceptible believer and at first sought answers from mediums, but since we’ve started investigating I’ve become more intent on finding solid rational answers. I’m still interested in my

own sensitivity skills but at the same time lean towards scientific explanations. I am the main presenter of our Ghost Response Haunted UK show and I enjoy working alongside fellow investigators, learning and sharing investigation techniques. I am very much a people person and love to chat and bounce ideas around. Due to my outgoing personality I tend to take the lead for most of our investigations but I’m quite relieved when others take a turn. I hope through our paranormal journey we capture some outstanding evidence of the existence of spirit. We have met some amazing people and have travelled to some great places. I feel we are going from strength to strength!

Bucket List Location: The Island of the Dolls, Mexico Favourite Gadget: Digital Voice Recorder Best Experience: Something blowing in my ear at Fort Widley.

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Living in Wiltshire, Spiriteam are surrounded by the weird and wonderful. Based between Stonehenge and the Avebury stone circle, they are spoilt for choice when it comes to hill forts, barrows and ancient woodlands; there’s even the odd ruinous castle. Being on Salisbury Plain, there are lots of stories of military hauntings but of course if you mention a good old haunted pub, everyone’s ears will prick up! After having a few strange occurrences in their own home, Kelly & Frazer Chalke decided it might be a good idea to see if a paranormal

team could shed some light on the situation. Enter - Dave Cook, part of a newly formed group who stepped in and very quickly became a firm friend. It didn’t take long before Kelly, Frazer and Dave realised they shared a very similar ethos and branched off to do their own paranormal investigations. By April 2017, the formation of Spiriteam was underway Knowing that documenting their findings was paramount, Frazer who is very much ‘The Tech Man’ invested in some quality camera equipment and asked old family friend Sammy

Robinson, if he would like to contribute his filming skills to their exciting new venture. Now, things were really beginning to take shape. Last on board was Selena Wright. She had been investigating for a few years with her own team Paranormal Wiltshire, and amazingly, only lived in the next village to the Chalke household. Small world. Accompanying Spiriteam as an ‘Honorary Member’ for the next almost dozen investigations, she was asked to come aboard full time and wear the T-shirt.

D ave Inve stiga tor/ Joint Founde r

I work as a gardener and love being out in the fresh air. I’m also mad about movies, but my greatest passion is the paranormal. I’ve been a believer from a young age. I still live in the house where I grew up and we’ve always had strange things going on here, it’s where I saw my first apparition of a man. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen a few others since then, and it blows my mind every time. My interest grew as I got older and I eventually decided to start a paranormal team of my own. Not long after, we were called in by Kelly & Frazer to investigate their home and we became good friends, and the rest is history! I love working with the team, we have some good banter and see some amazing locations together. Spiriteam has become a big part of my life. Although I believe, I know that lots of things are easily explained but my passion for finding evidence grows stronger everyday.

Available to watch on Amazon Prime

Bucket List Location: Waverley Hills Sanitorium, Kentucky Favourite Gadget: Digital Voice Recorder Best Experience: My lone investigation at The

Green Dragon.

Selena Frazer Cam e r a m a n , A u d i o & Vi d e o Tech

I became intrigued in the paranormal around 2002 when I started watching paranormal programmes. I’ve always been very sceptical but find the possibilities of the unknown very exciting. After having a few unexplained experiences since starting this adventure, I now consider myself a sceptical-believer. I’ve always had a knack with computers and from a young age, was interested in electronics and would take my toys apart to find out how they worked. I have a background as a carpenter in the building trade but now work full time at Spiriteam Productions. I enjoy everything about cinematography and edit our show Ghost Response which keeps me busy. I have a multitude of tasks from location preparation, all aspects of filming and many, many hours of evidence reviewing. I had my first real taste of activity when we were filming at Fort Widley. The video clip of me being pushed went viral, you’ll find it on our YouTube channel. I’ll admit, it made me very nervous! Bucket List Location: Bran Castle, Romania

Res earc h e r/I n ve s t ig a t o r/Au t h o r I’ve been fascinated by ghosts for as long as I can remember, but the more I investigate, the more sceptical I become. I would describe myself as an open-minded sceptic. I want to believe but I need undeniable proof and I’ve become very critical of what is put forward as evidence. Although, psychology explains a lot, I have a few personal experiences that remain unexplained, so I’ll keep searching for the answers - even if that means one day I’ll conclude ghosts don’t exist. I used to watch all the paranormal shows but found them to be increasingly unrealistic. I’d never dreamed I’d be involved in making one, not least because I’m a complete cameraphobe! I don’t like having my photo taken so being on film is really outside my comfort zone. I’m having to work really hard at that. It’s

important to me that Ghost Response is a true representation of what really happens during an investigation, and I can honestly say I trust the team to stay true to that. I love researching locations, the history and the hauntings and feel very lucky that I spend all my time doing just that, both for investigation purposes and to write my books. I’ve always written up investigation reports so I can’t stress enough, how important it is to write everything down during an investigation because it’s guaranteed as soon as you’re back in the car, you’ll have forgotten pretty much everything! I love going into the dusty, hidden parts of buildings like the attics and cellars that most people never get to see and while we take our investigating seriously, we have a lot of fun and I just love it all.

Bucket List Location: Film stars mansions of Hollywood Favourite Gadget: Ghost Hunt Log (available on Amazon) Best Experience: Seeing several inanimate objects move by themselves.

Favourite Gadget: Camera Best Experience: Being pushed by an unknown force. HAUNT ED

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She admits that her one hesitation was knowing that she would have to be in front of the camera... Although making an investigation show was an idea in the pipeline, the opportunity had arisen much sooner than anticipated, but what a brilliant way to record their journey! The chance came for the fully formed team to make an investigation show for Amazon Prime and they decided to jump in with both feet. Ghost Response Haunted UK was to be a show about real, honest investigation. A step away from the type of sensational paranormal shows that have become the norm. There would be no ‘For entertainment purposes only’ disclaimer needed for this one. No provocation, no mention of demons and no running around screaming like the proverbial banshee. A pact was made that absolutely nothing would be faked. If nothing happens, nothing happens, end of story. They do have some of their investigations filmed where they had no activity whatsoever, that’s just the luck of the draw. When a location is quiet it doesn’t make for great tv, but it’s important for viewers to understand that when something out of the ordinary does happen, it’s actually quite unusual and therefore, pretty exciting. Kelly has earned herself the nickname ‘The Mouthpiece’ so if things turn out to be uneventful, she usually keeps the energy going with her non-stop talking! Maybe this is where we can mention that the rest of the team lay bets on how many times Kelly has to say her introductory piece to camera? Ever the professional, it’s rarely more than three...anymore and she starts stamping her little feet.

The team is made up of a mixed bunch, from big believers to the ever so sceptical. This becomes evident if you’ve ever watched their ParaLoners (where they go off with a camera to investigate an area alone) It’s quite interesting to see how differently they react without the backup of the rest of the team and as a side note, if you see Dave point his finger in the air, he’s about to get a bit excitable!There is always room for friendly debate and this extends to their guest investigators. In Season 2 of Ghost Response, they were joined on each episode by two willing members from another paranormal team. This was an idea to see how other teams work, show their methods and maybe pick up some new ideas themselves. The team’s primary method for encouraging spirit communication is simply calling out and hoping for some kind of response. They use trigger objects such as coins, keys and toys, depending on the history of the location. They also use re-enactments, for instance Dave has been known to dress up as a hooded figure and they once investigated an old courtroom where Sammy acted as a criminal on trial. Let’s just say, he wasn’t getting off lightly, he was guilty as charged. (Any excuse to throw him in a cold dark cell on his own really) They use an array of devices such as REM Pods, EMF and Mel meters, although they are fully aware they don’t exactly detect ghosts they can be an indicator of a possible change in the atmosphere and that isoften all they have to work with. None of them claim to be mediums, although Dave and Kelly can be a bit sensitive - especially when they’re hungry, but that’s another story…

The term ‘Para Unity’ may have fallen on stony ground for most, but thankfully they’ve found it to be alive and well, making some fine friends along the way. Even though every member of a team will have a very different belief system, they can all rub along knowing that they have the same end goal, to find proof of an afterlife. They were lucky enough to be joined by Celebrity Ghost Hunter Ray Jorden for their Mill House episode. You may know him from Haunting Australia and The Paranormal 5. They found him an absolute pleasure to work with, and even he was impressed by the activity of the house, which is evident in the show. They have also worked with Paranomal Historian Richard Felix at his very own location, Derby Gaol where his paranormal passion, enthusiasm and knowledge had a positive impact on the team.

SO, WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR SPIRITEAM? They hope to keep exploring great locations and with any luck travel further afield. A few members have expressed an interest in a tour of Ireland, and they’ve made some friends from American radio shows who encourage them to join them over the pond. All invitations are welcome so who knows? They have come so far in such a short time, nothing is being ruled out. They are just enjoying the ride…

If you want your team to feature in a future issue of Haunted Magazine, please email:

Contact information:

behindthescreams@hauntedmagazine.co.uk

Email: info@spiriteam.co.uk Telephone: 07899092533 (+44 UK)

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In 2008 I was approached at a lecture by a man who wanted to know more about the “HULL SATANIC PANIC,” and listened as he told me that during the 1980s the Hull press was in the middle of a war of words between the church, occultists, and a child protection group who were adamant that children in Hull were being targeted by Satanists for occult practices.

BY MIKE COVELL

adly, he could not provide a date, but did tell me that the case was really big, and that Roger Cook was somehow involved. I took mental notes of the names and publications and set out to discover what went on in the 1980s. What I uncovered during my investigation was pretty shocking, and it certainly opened my eyes, not just to perceptions and misconceptions but to how easily the press can change their mind on what is considered an occult practice and what is not.

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Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) was influenced greatly by a book entitled, Michelle Remembers that was released in 1981 by Michael Joseph Ltd. The book was co-written by Michelle Smith and Lawrence Pazder, M. D., who treated Michelle. The book, which has since been discredited, was an autobiography that claimed to lift the lid on Satanic Ritual Abuse in America. Ten years later, in 1991, Dianne Core and Fred Harrison released Chasing Satan – An investigation into Satanic crimes against children. The book was published by Gunter Books looks at cases closer to home and features Dianne Core’s alleged battle with Satanism in Hull and even further afield. Also published in 1991 Andrew Boyd released Blasphemous Rumours – Is Satanic Ritual Abuse Fact or Fantasy? An Investigation, published by Fount, which is an imprint of Harper Collins. The book discusses Dianne Core and the cases in Hull, as well as other cases across Britain. Anthropologist Jean La Fontaine spent several years researching ritual abuse cases in Britain at the behest of the government. Producing several reports and the 1998 book Speak of the Devil, after reviewing cases reported to police and children’s protective services throughout the country La Fontaine concluded that the only rituals he uncovered were those invented by child abusers to frighten their victims or justify the sexual abuse. In addition, the sexual abuse occurred outside of the rituals, indicating the goal of the abuser was sexual gratification rather than ritualistic or religious.

In cases involving satanic abuse, the satanic allegations by younger children were influenced by adults, and the concerns over the satanic aspects were found to be compelling due to cultural attraction of the concept but distracting from the actual harm caused to the abuse victims. But it wasn’t all abuse, there was also a local, regional, national and international scare warning of the dangers of such tools that might bring about Satanic activity! So, what does any of this have to do with Roger Cook, the television show presenter and super sleuth? Read on and all will be revealed. 8

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One of the earliest stories I came across was featured in a now defunct newspaper entitled The Hull Star, this newspaper was a free paper that was delivered to home across Hull, and featured advertisements for local businesses, news, and an agony aunt style column. In the February 25th 1988 edition it stated that Hull school children were at risk from satanic possession after it was revealed that a staggering number of children were using Ouija Boards and Tarot Cards....in school playgrounds! The report went on to state that children were “dabbling,” and interviewed local holy men who further backed up the claims and warned children not to “dabble.” The report went on, even blaming daily astrology charts in the newspapers! They even interviewed a Satanist, who refused to be identified, who argued that Satanism wasn’t evil, arguing that Occultism is derived from the Latin meaning “Hidden Things,” and covers a wide range of topics and traditions. She then went on to state that Ouija Boards are tools of the subconscious mind and not responsible for demonic activity. A month later the Hull Daily Mail argued that these children who were being drawn to satanic practices were opening themselves up to Satanic Ritual Abuse, at least according to the Hull Childwatch founder, Dianne Core. Core claimed that children as young as twelve were being drugged, hanged upside down on upside down crosses, and subjected to sexual abuse. Despite this no evidence was presented. As the days and weeks progressed hundreds of newspaper articles appeared in local, regional and national newspapers, resulting in thousands of letters, many from worried parents. Local churches joined the crusade, and thousands joined the cause, and social services were inundated with calls MA GA Z INE

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from worried people, neighbours, and parents, who thought that their children were at risk because.... they listened to rock music. By March 1988 an FBI agent, who is unnamed, an American child psychologist, and televisions Roger Cook were said to be heading to Hull to launch an investigation. At that time Roger Cook worked on a television show named “The Cook Report,” and used to investigate anything and everything from rogue traders to gangs. He was seen as a no-nonsense investigator, and his shows were widely watched. While this was ongoing, it was claimed that an exorcist, named Beth Gurevitch, was hired to come to Hull to cleanse houses and families who had dabbled in the occult. The church, however, was not impressed, and wrote a letter to the Hull Star, outlining their anger at the exorcism that was allegedly carried out, stating that the type of exorcism carried out was not carried out by a registered exorcist, and was, therefore, not done in the name of God. Then a local Tory MP, named Mr. Geoffrey Dickens, claimed that he had been receiving death threats from Satanists, after it was revealed that he wanted to compile a dossier on the recent claims that Satanic Ritual Abuse was taking place across the region. He claimed that his wife and children had been threatened, and now Humberside Police were also involved. The investigations continued into the 1990s, but the case was to take a strange turn in June 1991, when it was revealed that the Hull Daily Mail had conducted an investigation into the claims and found that the Childwatch founder was called in to answer questions regarding the allegations. A joint investigation by the Mail, Humberside Police, Social Services, and other agencies, stated that there was no evidence for Satanic Ritual Abuse in the Hull area. The mammoth two-day, four-page report picked apart her claims and poured scorn of the “Satanic Panic.” All appeared to go quite but behind the scenes people wanted to know more, and still more articles followed, with reports in July 1991 of rabbits being stolen from houses in West Hull, then hanged with their throats cut from trees outside of local schools. Some of the rabbits had been disembowelled, and it wasn’t long before the locals began to talk, albeit in hushed tones, that it was the work of the local Satanists. While this was ongoing, nationally other cases were receiving attention with cases reported in Rochdale in September 1990, and later Nottingham in October 1990, and cases from Orkney, Greater Manchester and Ayrshire. All of these cases involved similar themes, children were taken to a large house, where unknown people were waiting, wearing robes and masks, they would then be strapped down on to a bed or slab, and abused by those who stood around chanted. Minor details changed between each telling, but this was the main gist of the many stories. HAUNT ED

In some extreme cases it was revealed that some of the children were allegedly murdered, sacrificed for dark occult practices as a kind of offering! It was later revealed that a three-year inquiry was conducted into the national cases, and millions of pounds were thrown into it, but at the end of the inquiry they stated that there was no evidence to support Satanic Ritual Abuse in Great Britain. It is unknown what evidence Dianne Core had and what the authorities knew about it, what is known is that very little of the scare is mentioned now and when you talk to people about it they either refuse to go on record, or simply state that they know nothing of it.

ABOUT MIKE COVELL Mike is a researcher and writer based in Kingston upon Hull, he has previously worked on Most Haunted, Most Haunted Live, Paranormal Lockdown, and Ouija Dicing with Death, as well as working on shows such as Prime Suspect Jack the Ripper, and One Bomb. Mike has written 17 books including the Mike Covell Investigates series which includes The Ghost Files, The Ghost Files II and The Beast of Barmston Drain. He has written for numerous magazines and newspapers and lives with his wife and three children. MA GA Z INE

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By Thomas Warrington

hen I hear the word apparition, my mind begins to conjure up of thoughts of a beautiful Tudor lady forgotten in time, dressed in a majestic long white dress, her presence gliding effortlessly down a long winding wooden staircase. An encounter like this has probably only been reported by one fortunate (or unfortunate) person, at the time of their paranormal encounter.

"Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another.” Albert Einstein Nowadays we scarcely hear of such paranormal experiences within Great Britain’s castles, medieval barns and Stately homes. Could this be in relation to the age-old theory of the “Stone Tape”? A theory based on the action of human energy that is somewhat dissipated within the limestone, sandstone or other certain types of stone that contains quartz? Sandstone, granite and quartz are all made up of Silica which is a collative compound of silicon plus oxygen. The Stone tape theory is considered to be both interesting and confusing and is based upon its main theological actions of energy (human emotion/or other living entity) allegedly being stored within the surrounding area, stone or limestone. This is said to be caused by a certain amount of electrical discharge brought on by an emotionally traumatic event. As detailed above, most common stone and minerals found all over the planet contain silica which has been proven as a good semi-conductor. This is prevalent within many recording formats for example computers and laptops that use microchips to store endless amounts of data that can then be retrieved at a later date, similar to the illusive apparition un commonly reported from time to time.

So, what happened to the white/grey lady that stalks the halls of Britain’s stately homes? When researching infamous hauntings throughout the ages, I always keep in the forefront of my mind that the element of time itself plays a huge part of an apparition’s motions and distinct yet troublesome actions. I must add, that an apparition does not necessarily mean that someone/something has risen from beyond the grave to pass on a message to the living. Perhaps it is instead that the energy of human nature is reliving the specific moment in time that caused this action, and in turn forwarding their energy into the surrounding area at the time of death. In addition to the Stone Tape Theory, another element that should be considered is water. 10

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Water is deemed to play a huge theological part in hauntings around the world. Is it simply a coincidence then that most of the World’s surface is covered in water? Personally, and although there is no scientific proof to these bold theories I am a big believer and an avid follower/researcher of apparitions that are in ways favourably linked to the stone/water tape theory. Many famous apparitions/ghosts (call them what you will) are described in most accounts as non-interactive or disengaging with the observer. By this I mean that the apparition/ ghost seems to be somewhat either uninterested or oblivious to its surroundings and the observers of the encounter or as we may label it “a haunting”

So, are these hauntings simply a recording in time…?

colour of the apparition and the sound. If the basis of the Stone and Water tape theories are correct, this may be why the person is reported as being firstly observed within months after their death and has often been described as appearing in a full spectrum of colour as if they were still alive, just like a VHS tape. The more this image is projected and in turn fades out, it becomes more and more difficult for the viewer to decipher as the picture begins to lose sharpness, colour and then eventually sound. Stirling Castle in Scotland is reported to have hosted numerous ghost sightings with the apparition taking form in an array of different colours of the spectrum, is this a typical indication of the paranormal action slowly fading with time?

I truly believe so and I am so passionate about this that I would go as far as to personally state I believe that 90% of hauntings in the UK are simply a caption in time in that when certain conditions are correct, trigger the energy from within the fabric of the building or surrounding area and somehow replay the moment of a person’s final moments. Maybe sometimes also their favourable movements replayed from a time when their energy was housed within their human capsule that we call the body.

It is difficult to ignore the Stone Tape theory although also very hard to accept without question the sightings and account that favour this theory. Is this why the once observed grey lady from Stirling Castle is now mainly seen in white? Slowly losing the recording in time that was once so prominent and regularly reported from onlookers? All that will be left is the most common of ghostly activities is of course audible phenomena… the voice, distinctive footsteps and materialistic sounds of movement are now the last remaining part of the recording, again a very common report of ghostly phenomena worldwide.

If we also consider famous ghost sightings from around the country, many witness accounts differ from sighting to sighting and the differing key factors are commonly the

I had recently interviewed a charming young man from my hometown in Sleaford Lincolnshire, England that had experienced a frightening account of what was a HAUNT ED

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remarkable but yet common phenomenon that took place in conditions that were perfect for triggering off the moment of the past which enabled a voice to reach out calling “Please I need you to help me”. My conclusion to this was that it was not an intelligence of such but instead a recording in time. Following on from my research of the area of the incident, I discovered that there had been a train crash that predominately caused many deaths, including that of children. So again, this may be another example of a recording that has been slowly fading through time now finally reached a final stage of haunting in the form of audible phenomena. These apparitions are impossible to be ignored in the sense that all they are is simply a recording from a forgotten time –although I am sure to the fortunate or unfortunate observer to the paranormal phenomena this can still be a traumatic and horrifying encounter that would likely send chills to the bone. But please remember…. When you find yourself alone wandering a famously haunted castle ruin, or if you happen to be visiting a stately home with its resident ghostly white lady, you may somehow find yourself having a close encounter with the lady in white…. Just remind yourself of this article and say in your head “it’s only a recording in time” …or is it? 11

WHAT’S THE FREQUENCY KENNETH? Erm that’s Jason actually! Jason Fellon to be precise.

ver the numerous investigations, I’ve been a part of, either as the lead or as a fellow investigator I have always felt the need to shut down my cell phone for fear of influencing our equipment. I’m sure most of us have noticed wi-fi, and Bluetooth antennas of cellphones have been seen to give falsepositives on K-2 meters as well as R.E.M. pods and other tools of the trade.

of radio waves around us naturally? My only argument is, what could it hurt? I’ll go one step further and challenge that it could even help any EVP sessions. If a spirit needs a little bit more energy to draw from too manipulate the paranormal equipment, the numerous waves that us investigators have been trying to reduce could be just that extra source it needs to produce the interaction we look for.

After much thought and some looking into the subject, I have realized it might not be worth turning off the cellphone at all. Consider this, even if the phone is powered down and left in another room, there are still natural and man-made waves that surround us and our environment.

When researching the effects of wi-fi and cellular within paranormal investigating, there is limited info out there. They say that these waves, no matter what type they are, if high enough, can cause headaches, nausea, as well as muscle aches. These symptoms are classic signs of what so people claimed is paranormal activity.

The short and sweet of it is, even if you turn off your cell phone, there are constant interferences that can interact with our equipment. Whether it is from a wi-fi router, cellular, Bluetooth, microwaves, walkietalkies or just plain radio signals. The wireless spectrum is around us. Check out this story for a visual example above. I do respect the argument of why add more direct interference via the cell phone, or wifi when there is already so much in the way

In relation to my above statement, the same wi-fi that some “hunters” complain about could just be that little bit of extra electromagnetic spectrum energy that could help produce that class “A” EVP we all are in search of. There are many paranormal investigators that will use man-made equipment to produce extra energy for the spirits to draw from. These devices are called EM Pumps. HAUNT ED

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What’s the difference between that and that mini EM Pump that most people think is a true link to the outside world. When you are asked to turn off your cell phone or not use any wireless technology while on an investigation, keep in mind that those people could be over-thinking things a little bit. If fact, they may even be preventing that key piece of evidence from manifesting that could one day be the significant link to life after death. I guess the question is, will I or won’t I continue to disable all electronic devices when I investigate. My answer is, I will! Even though I have a done the research and debated in my own mind which way would benefit the investigation more. I will continue to follow my own previous protocols and shut down all devices. I have caught plenty of great evidence over my many years investigating, so I must be doing something right. I hope that this short article will cause a few paranormal researchers to reevaluate how Electromagnetic Fields can affect investigations in different ways. Maybe those investigators will even consider trying a different approach altogether. 13

Local Hauntings from local people

Everyone loves a ghost story, don’t they? Long, short, scary or downright weird, these are the stories that we heard when we were kids, told by our Grandparents on Halloween OR by the children a few years older than us in the hope that we would wet our beds that night. BUT WE’RE MADE OF STRONGER STUFF aren’t we people? All it did in those children was to stir an interest in the paranormal, to look at the town they live in from a different angle, a different perspective and to soak up the history of where they live that their

local Tourist Information Board wouldn’t dare print.

Here, at HM, we encourage the weird, the spooky and the odd (and that’s just with Andy’s dress sense - (oi!) ). YES, we can research the history of a town, in detail if we like, but what better way to hear about the spooky stuff happening in a town than for someone from that town to write about it, with passion, with fire and within walking distance of their library. We also encourage the non-published writer to have a go at writ-

ing and share their stories and tales with us, not many magazines would take that risk, people say there’s a novel in everyone, but they don’t really mean it. However, we DO mean it, the paranormal is a world where the high and mighty can mingle with us lesser mortals, there’s no establishment, it is a world where a High Court Judge can be interested in it the same as a Supermarket Cashier. Passion for the paranormal comes before any writing degree. We want YOU, the reader, the

paranormal lover, to tell us why your town, city, hamlet, village is haunted, what stuff and paranormal shizzle has gone down over the years and continues to do so. It doesn’t have to be long-winded, it doesn’t have to be elaborate and wordy, just a few local hauntings, a few stories and hey paranormal presto – we have a local feature written by a local person…

AND tonight Matthew Jenna Brazel from Skipton, is going to be writing about...

The Spooky, Supernatural & Strange in Skipton My name is Jenna. I suffer with chronic pain which is where my nerves send a faulty signal so I took up writing to distract me from the pain. I live in the beautiful town of Skipton. I have been interested in UFO’s and the paranormal since I was a kid. Being Pagan I believe that death is a time to celebrate the time we had with our loved ones, that there is a life after death and we are capable of coming back in another shape or form to live again.

History of Skipton Skipton was the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Sceap Turn (Sheep town.) and it is exactly has it was described a 7th century sheep farming settlement. The town was mentioned in the 1086 Doomsday book. It was granted to Robert de Romille and he built a wooden fort to fend off Normans, and Scottish incursions. Later, he replaced the wooden fortress with a stone built one and he also built the church. In 1204 the town was granted its town charter by King John.

Skipton Castle The castle was granted to the Clifford family in 1310 by Edward II. During the English civil war Robert Clifford began fortifying the castle but was slain at the Battle of Bannockburn. Oliver Cromwell ransacked the castle after a three years siege. It was the restored by Lady Anne Clifford. In the courtyard she planted a Yew tree in 1659. The Yew tree is a symbol of eternal life and it is reported that Lady Anne’s spirits are still present in the courtyard as whips of smoke and face peering from the glassless windows have been seen.

Bellevue Mills and the Dewhurst’s House Bellevue mills originally built in 1828 and burnt down to ground 2 years later and then was rebuilt straight away by John Dewhurst. Though I personally haven’t found any reports of deaths one can assume there would have been due to the dangerous conditions 14

in the mill. John Dewhurst and his second wife Anne lived in a house that still stands today as part of Skipton Academy school. They both died August 27th 1864, it would appear John died of broken heart both being buried together in a local graveyard. This house is HAUNT ED

perhaps one of the most haunted buildings I have been in. Dogs do not enter it and though nothing is going to harm you, you know when the Dewhursts are there. You will hear footsteps and occasionally the swish of a dress against the floor. Above the old entrance way

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there is a passage to the main house along which has been seen an old lady knitting or sewing in a rocking chair. The other occurrence is that every night the book To Kill a Mocking Bird is found removed from its bookcase in the school library.

Skipton Woods Next to the castle and within its walls is Skipton woods and probably the old hunting grounds for Lords and Ladies of the castle. Now left for the tourists and dog walkers. The woods are rumoured to be filled with Fairies and Nereids (Water babies.). There are stories of an old man walking his dog along the path to the mill pond, he will tip his flat cap smile and say hello, and the disappear into the shaded light along the path. It is said that you will find small child sized footprints near the waterfall and here laughter when there are no children to be seen. Then there is the Grey Lady who is sometimes seen here, it is a sad story, she was in love with one of Oliver Cromwell’s troops. She went to visit him late one night and when the troops heard her coming, they were thinking that she was a spy, they killed her.

The Phantom plane This is a Wellington bomber painted in camouflage and with one wing. It appears every now and is the ghost of a WW2 plane that crashed into the canal killing the Polish RAF crew. Many people in the area have seen it, including people as far away as Bradford and Keighley. There have been local plays written about it as well.

Sheep Street

UFO sightings

Just of Skipton High street, Stands a row of houses now shops. At one point this was where the ladies would hang out of the window selling what they had offer. Being a red-light district, it was dangerous and filled with characters that make the bad guys in Dicken’s novels look friendly by comparison and beware as some still are hidden peering from the darkness of the alleyways. The women are also still there as you can hear one sobbing in the night. Perhaps she is crying for a long-lost child, or for something else she lost after being forced to work there.

There have been many sightings around the area, one in particular is worth mentioning of an off-duty police officer who followed the orange coloured ball of light for some time along the A625.

So, I’ve given you an idea of the strange happenings in Skipton and the local area and I hope to be writing more in the future for Haunted. I have only scratched the surface when it comes to my haunted town, but I hope it has left you interested in wanting to find out more for yourselves?

Jenna

Do you think your town is Haunted? Would you like to share your town’s supernatural shenanigans to the world? Are you prepared to write about it and pass it onto those nice chaps at Haunted Magazine and let them share it with the paranormal world? If so, please email mytown@hauntedmagazine.co.uk leaving your details and where you live. HAUNT ED

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DESTINATION: ST CRISPIN’S MENTAL ASYLUM INVESTIGATOR: UK HAUNTED’S MIKI YORK 16

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So, just what is it that makes a location scary? Is it the building? Is it the history? Or is it simply the ghost stories? I think it has to be a mixture of all 3! You have to judge that for yourself; whether it’s the feeling you get when you walk through the door, or maybe even when you just set foot on the land. The stories of pain, torture and death at many large historic locations, they can play in the back of your mind on the journey there. Over the years I have been to many of the supposed most haunted and scariest locations throughout the UK. They all have stories of evil and suffering, and many report crazy activity. Places like 30 East Drive, Pontefract with its infamous black monk. The Incubus at the Ancient Ram Inn and evil Kings and Queens at many castles across Great Britain. But the one location that stands out for me has over 100 years years of pain, suffering and a reputation for not being a nice place to live... St Crispin Mental Asylum This building itself was built in 1876 and housed many patients with various disabilities; it also housed children with behavioural issues and suchlike. This building closed its doors for the very last time in 1995 and has been left to ruin ever since, it’s a shell of the former grand site that it once was. Like any ruined building in the UK, it’s been vandalised and stripped of anything of any worth and has been set on fire on numerous occasions. The fact that such a large countrywide famous mental asylum is on my doorstep makes it even more appealing for me to investigate as my favourite location. The first time I went to investigate, I was in such awe of the place, I had finally had access to this famous mental asylum. With all of its stories of suffering over the years and accounts of the ghost stories, I confess to being a little bit scared and on edge; I genuinely didn’t know what to expect and what was going to happen next. As I was walking around the different buildings and wards, I could sense the atmosphere changing, as if something was following me, wanting to know why I was there, to know what I was doing and almost as if it wanted me out.

Over the last 2 years I have experienced many things on this site. From nausea - feeling very sick with lots of pains in my stomach, to hearing voices and footsteps above where there isn’t even a floor. It is here that I have seen 2 full-bodied apparitions, both in the same corridor of the main building.

“The first time I filmed with Alex (Duggan) for an episode of UKHaunted, we had been investigating for around 5 hours and were just finishing up; I was doing an outro for the video when suddenly an old man came from behind Alex, right at me and then vanished! It scared the absolute shite out of me!” This man had scraggily hair, a haggard old face and dirty white clothing. I believe him to have probably been a patient at the hospital. I can still see his big Gollum-like eyes staring at me to this very day. We went back a couple of weeks later and were doing a Periscope live stream when I saw a man in a blue and white uniform again behind Alex. From my research, it seems that this would most likely have been a male member of staff. It’s scary to think that these spirits still lurk on the land and inside the buildings after over 20 years of it being closed down. Why are they still there? Can’t they leave? Do they want to remain there? The whole place has a very strange atmosphere and someone or something is always watching you whenever you are there; it’s not a nice feeling but if you think you can accept that then I recommend this location to any paranormal investigators out there. It will always have a place in my heart and I hope it remains the way it is now and not redeveloped into a housing estate.

Have you got a “most scariest” location that you’d like to feature in Haunted Magazine? All we need is for you to write about it, what happened, how you felt (scared we hope) and some pictures would be nice. Please email

So, what happens when the sun sets at St Crispin’s Mental Asylum? Go find out of for yourself.... but remember #DontBeScared

mostscariest@hauntedmagazine.co.uk

and your scariest moment could be read by over 130,000 people all over the world, including your Mum, maybe.

Twitter @TheRealMikiYork Facebook Miki York YouTube MrMiki272

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Obviously if you’re one of those ghost hunters that don’t get scared then this is not the feature for you, so jog on please.

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ator of the Jack Puttock, Celebrity Ghost Hunt Fan and cre hosthunt takes us Celebrity Ghost Hunt twitter fan page @Celeb_G t and future. on a Celebrity Ghost Hunt journey, past, presen

So what has happened so far? Celebrity ghost hunt hit our screens with a bang at the start of 2017, Rylan Clark-Neal, the face of Big Brother’s Bit on the side (BBBOTS to anyone who is in the know) was joined by professional paranormal investigator Ash and Psychic medium Alex. A host of celebrities including Nadia Essex, Charlotte Dawson and Bobby Norris joined the team as they investigated haunted locations in and around London. The first series saw the team investigate some historic locations including Hever Castle where Anne Boleyn spent her youth, and in later years it was owned by King Henry Vlll`s fourth wife Anne of Cleves. This location certainly didn’t HAUNT ED

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disappoint and neither did the celebs, at one-point James Argent passed wind rather loudly whilst they were calling out, it was funny to watch and just goes to show that investigating the paranormal doesn’t always have to be serious you can have a laugh along the way. The people behind the scenes of Celebrity Ghost Hunt done a fantastic job getting some amazing locations including London`s Mail Rail which is a disused railway line that was used by the postal service many years ago. What was great about this episode was that the location had never been investigated before and it turned out to be one of the most active, with the REM pod going off on cue and multiple people seeing shadow figures!

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eal: Interview with Rylan Clark-N

/SPIRITS? DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS I believed in spirits which is RYLAN: I didn’t really know if and be in control of seeing why I wanted to do the show g 2 series I can safely say absolutely everything. After doin I believe! RIEST LOCATION YOU WHERE WAS THE SCA ? INVESTIGATED IN SERIES ONE Ragged School as well. RYLAN: I’d probably say the vibe about the place. It was There was just such an awful incredibly active. TE ANYWHERE IN THE IF YOU COULD INVESTIGA BE? WORLD WHERE WOULD IT ate an abandoned asylum. RYLAN: I would love to investig run away! I say that now, but I’ll probably LIKE TO GET ON THE WHO WOULD YOU MOST SHOW? pletely non-believers and RYLAN: I’d love to have 3 com incredibly active. return to a location we know is DIFFERENT TO OTHER WHAT MAKES THE SHOW PARANORMAL SHOWS? don’t take things too RYLAN: I think because we take the you know and fun e seriously. We actually hav We don’t ever claim that what out of each other on air. , were just 3 people on ters we’re experienced ghost hun I think the audience and it by ed rest the team that is inte like it. ATIONS YOU WON’T ARE THERE ANY LOC INVESTIGATE? a year ago there would be a RYLAN: If you asked me this ’t think so. don I list but after 2 series.... no, THE PARANORMAL? WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTO is the psychic on the show. RYLAN: My friend Alex who years and she would always 10 I’ve known Alex for around that was about to happen tell me pretty much everything ed. People can choose pen to me and it all actually hap ’s been spot on with she but eve beli to believe or not to things regarding my life. CHING, WHAT WAS IT SERIES TWO IS FAST APPROA LIKE TO FILM IT? to film, we got to travel RYLAN: Series 2 was amazing es, we didn’t realise plac zing Europe and see some ama ! we were in for a very bumpy ride LOCATION TO FILM AT WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE FOR SERIES 2? y. When I left, and Roxanne RYLAN: The last one in German old castle in Germany, an left. We did a spirit board in e come through which sag mes l ona Roxanne had a pers an effect on the rest of the left her very shaken and had t that one. nigh e group. It was a very tens

Tune in to the NEW Celebrity Ghost Hunt series coming to 5Star this summer! Freeview 30, Sky 176, Virgin Media 151, TalkTalk 30, Freesat 131.

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Ash and his gadgets are a great addition is said to be the best yet with Rox to the programme as it give anne witnessing spirit s the viewers Pallett rec for themselves, but eiving a message on the some visual evidence, spirit terrible as I picked throughout the board whi up about children being ch have an incredible imp first series they have got act on abused there multiple hits on her, Sam and it come to light after tha Gowland getting scared sev the REM pod and even cap t eral it had gone on tured a stick times and a lot when we found out jumping out of his skin, the figure on the SLS camera re is the history . But everyone’s a great after, it was so sad, also piece of evidence capture favourite piece of equipm the d with REM pod ent is the Ovilus Sam on was making a noise that it one episode that you don 3 device, the Ovilus is never ’t want norma a random word to miss! lly would which sounded like Simon Webb also has a terr generator where the spirits an old ifying nurser are said to be experience y rhyme. whilst doing some scrying able to use it to talk to us in in real time, this a mirror, very shortly after he is rus has been very popular with hed ASH: I have to agree, my favourite the celebs and from the loca had tion after falling ill! Alex “Th the viewers. e to be the Ragged School. we had som Germany episode was imm e ense... to the great evidence on the rem Alex is an amazing psychic pod that was medium with point we heard objects being thro wn, very tangible and direct with res years of experience, Ryl ponses an said in one dropped or moved around from above us!” along with the Ovilus. We manag interview that he wouldn ed to do a ’t do the show Throughou part using raw footage as t the second series the unless Alex was by his we walked with team side! Alex has are joined cameras around the loca by a local guest investig definitely made her mark on tion and gave ator the programme from each country that have conduc viewers that much more and proved to many just how on the edge of ted good she is. investigations in the locations before and seat experience. In some locations Alex got really effected know what works well and what areas by the energy which in som to How do you think the e cases took concentrate live show went? the investigation around, the her a good few days to get y over. You can also knew a ALEX: We always have a lot about the history so cou tell that there is great che laugh on these ld mistry between confirm or debunk anything that Ale Rylan, Ash and Alex they x or shows but on a serious note the experience all know what the equipment picks up on. The locations of energy I connected with they are doing and what did make me ill their roles are this series are definitely on par if not better for a few days after. The on the programme and alw good thing with ays have each than series one with the team investigating live is you don’t have other’s backs. time to think about a Gaol, Manor House, cha teaux and even anything and that’s when I wor k at my an abandoned hotel that onc e played host best, no influences no time to look around. to some very important gue And great for viewers! sts. ASH: Overall it was a great Jack Puttock, Celebrity Gh vigil we could ost Hunt Fan and creator of the Celebr have done longer with the The first series ended with ity hope to catch Ghost Hunt a 2-hour special twitter more tangible evidence, fan page @Celeb_Ghos live episode at Hanworth as ever thunt Park House, the also Alex got the chance to ver team come up trumps with was y quickly this location! interview bang on her Celebrity Ghost Hun Hanworth Park House t’s was previously reside nt Paranormal Investiga abilities. We used as a military hospita tor & l during the first Mediu m Ashley Buckenham (As world war, then in the 195 h) and h a d s o m e 0`s turned into medium Alex Gibbs (Alex) and the amazing and home for the elderly. host With such a rich of Cel ebrity Ghost Hunt and ver r esponses history the team were in y, very for an exciting tall per son Rylan Clark-Neal (se night! It also featured in with the e left). the hub, Sam Bennetts and Danny Moss. equipment and som e a c t i v i t y within the What was your favour boa rd. I do like ite episode in series one? to say “ghost Celebrity Ghost Hunt Hau hunting is like nted Holiday ALEX: The Ragged School museum is coming to 5Star this sum was f i s h i n g ! S o m e mer! This is amazing, but also terrible. Amazing in the the second series of the programme and sense days you catch of evidence and celebs actually some you don ’t.

And then what happened?

Interview And what is going to and Alex happen?

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with

Ash

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The Invisible Friend A ghost story At seven years old I had finally reached year three of school. And this is when I met Jimmy. There he stood in the cloak-room as I hung up my bag and coat, not quite sure what the day would bring and he smiled at me reassuringly. He helped considerably in making me feel more secure starting my new year and I knew here I had found a new friend…I wanted to invite him back to my house to play…yet when I talked to other children about Jimmy none of them knew him or even seemed to be able to see him… ******* We lived in South Manchester in the North of England. In common with most cities, the zones and suburbs were identified more in terms of villages coming together to make up the whole of the city, our village was Northenden. We lived there for a few years, long before the anti-social issues that would later plague areas such as this, and all things considered I enjoyed my life there. Close enough to Manchester Centre, yet largely selfcontained, also with a great park close by and a wonderful little library, looking back I can see why my parents had chosen to live there. Fortunately, back then the local infant school, although in a highly built-up urban area, did probably have more in common with the atmosphere of a village school rather than your typically rough tough city school. Housed in a fine Victorian building, complete with an expansive playing field and indoor sport/assembly hall. We lived on the edge of Northenden in Bartlett Road, a quiet cul-de-sac overlooking the golf course. Getting ready for my first day of year three, to once again become a participator in the English education system, I felt the same mixture of excitement and trepidation most of us must have to go through when a new school year starts. That sense of entering into the unknown. Setting off for school, my mother walked me the less than ten minutes to the gate and after a kiss goodbye I was on my own. We weren’t allowed to cycle to school, I virtually lived on my bike so for sure would have done if permitted, school rules firmly prohibited it. Some first-timers were also being left to their fate on the same day, many with reluctant tears, old–hands such as me knew at least roughly what to expect. All in all, the first assembly of the school year seemed to pass on by painlessly and in due course, in regimented single file, we followed our year three teacher into a different annex of the building than we had ever previously been allowed into. We had progressed into the more grown-up area of school reserved exclusively for year’s three through to five! She showed us the classroom, next usefully where the toilets were, finally telling us to go and hang up our coats in the cloakroom, located just to the left along the corridor. There was the usual impatient rush of children all wanting to get there first, to be quickly back to class and choose where to sit. Next to friends or perhaps even more crucially near the radiator, as this was an old Victorian building with big high ceilings it wasn’t always exactly scorching hot throughout the winter months or more accurately freezing cold adequately describes the average winter classroom temperature. At my experienced-in-matters-of-school-etiquette seven years old, I found all that dashing about and tripping over one another in their haste not really my scene. As I knew my friend Susan would save me a good seat next to her I could afford to be altogether more dignified in my approach. I

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I waited patiently until most the rabble had departed the cramped space of the cloakroom and entered to hang my coat on the peg I knew would be waiting there with my name on it. And then I encountered Jimmy for the first time. Stood to the rear of the cloakroom, he looked me in the eyes and smiled. He had one of those rare types of smile which make you naturally smile back. He seemed pleased to see me smiling in return. I needed to get to my class, I said I would see him later and off I toddled to see exactly where Susan and I had found ourselves sitting in the end. When the morning break arrived, I saw Jimmy for the second time, as we all passed the cloakroom on our way to the exit door he seemed to be waiting in the corridor for me to come out of class. Out in the full light of day I was able to see him altogether better; again, we smiled at one another, as I took in the appearance of my new friend. Although I was slightly taller than average, he was bigger than me. I estimated he might already be eight years old, definitely kudos to have an older friend in school. He had light brown collar length hair, obviously he wore the same school uniform as everyone else, but he also had a distinctive mid-blue coat. It was almost knee length and looked more like a smock. No hood, pockets on either side of the coat and mittens hung down via a piece of cord threaded up through the sleeves and presumably across the back. I had certainly never seen a coat quite like it. Jimmy was extremely pale and didn’t look terribly healthy at all. Walking along the short length of corridor to the welcoming playground we talked or at least it felt like we communicated, although in hindsight I am not entirely sure we spoke any physical words out loud. I didn’t give much thought to the matter at that age, simply accepted Jimmy as a friend and we talked to one another in a slightly different way than Susan and I did. He told me he felt a bit lonely and he was pleased I talked with him as often children just ignored him. In return I said if he wanted he could make friends with Susan as well and we could play together at break-times. As I passed through the door out into the school yard Jimmy didn’t follow me, in fact I had no idea where he had gone he just wasn’t there, thinking nothing more of it off I went on my way. Over the next few weeks I would see Jimmy a few times a week, he would just sort of appear and we would have a chat, then he would go. Talking to Susan and some other friends revealed they didn’t know who I was referring to when I mentioned Jimmy, and more tellingly they never saw us together. The exact nature of Jimmy was a bit of a mystery to me, when I mentioned him I am sure my friends and family thought I had invented an imaginary friend. The truth would be altogether more profound and sad. As children usually do I talked to my parents of what I had been doing at school, lessons and what my friends had said. They already knew well of Susan and one or two other closer friends, Jimmy was a new one to them though. They wanted to know what year he was in and, I suppose with due parental care, if he was the kind of boy I ought to be friends with. My mother asked me to ask him about his parents, where they lived and what things Jimmy liked to do away from school. I didn’t see him for a few days, when I did I asked my questions and duly reported back his answers. He came from the same road as we did, he gave me the number and he liked to ride his bike. I remember thinking at the time how odd, as I always played out in our small cul-de-sac on my bike with all the children from the neighbourhood and with absolute certainty I had never seen Jimmy there. The other thing that was strange is the number he gave me in our road belonged to an older couple and I knew for sure they had no eight-year-old boy! I wanted to invite Jimmy around to our house to come and play. My parents said it wasn’t really a good idea just now, they would think about it later. II

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Our close neighbours two doors to the left were an interesting couple. They had a small daughter of about four years old, she was great fun and I used to play with her sometimes because her crazy antics always made me laugh. The McEwans were considered a bit eccentric by most of their fellow neighbours. Elva, a psychiatric nurse also practised witchcraft and Frazier, although he rarely publicly talked of it, was deeply involved in psychic research. My mother casually invited them for coffee and asked me to repeat all that I knew about Jimmy, she being open minded enough to think I might have rather more than an imaginary friend there. Consulting the two most qualified unbiased second opinions to see what they made of everything I had to say. Always one to enjoy a willing and listening audience even back then, off I went into telling my entire tale right from the beginning. Fact for fact I went through the weeks of knowing Jimmy and, as nobody else seemed to be able to see him, how lonely he felt most of the time. A few years later my mother shared with me the entire conversation which took place after I had left the room and the later validation of my story (more of which later), at the time Frazier told me that Jimmy sounded like he might well be a ghost and that I must be very special to be able to talk with him and make friends. He explained some ghosts like to stay around places which meant something to them and in rare cases a ghost doesn’t even know it is dead. It hadn’t occurred to me that Jimmy might actually be a ghost; I thought he must be in a different class than mine and because he didn’t really mix with the other children, therefore they didn’t know him. What this revelation did was make me feel sorry for Jimmy and I couldn’t wait to see him again, as always this would be when he wanted to be seen. I didn’t have to wait too long. The sports hall at school was in that great tradition of English junior schools. We had climbing ropes, an apparatus for vaulting over, exercise benches and mats, plus a climbing frame anchored against one wall. At the top of this frame about three metres up sat huge window ledges, with windows looking out onto the playground. As we all half reluctantly entered the hall ready for our PE lesson, Jimmy sat on one of these window ledges on high, ready to watch our teacher put us through our paces. He waved at me and I winked back; he stayed there for the entire thirty-minute lesson, laughing sometimes at our failed attempts to carry out the instructions of the teacher. I would often see Jimmy around school over the next few months, but by then I knew that shortly my whole family would be moving away from the area and I would be leaving the school. Sadly, I never really had the opportunity to talk with him again… Frazier used his contacts in psychic research circles to investigate the story behind Jimmy based on the details I had been able to tell him. This is in the days before the internet; back then research meant trawling through the physical archives and old newspapers, using hunches and intuition as a guide. Piece by piece over time the tragic story began to come together. There had indeed been a boy called James (or Jimmy) and as related to me when I was old enough to fully comprehend, this is the true story of James… James had lived in Bartlett Road in the early part of the 1960’s with his parents. An only child, like me years later, he had attended the “village” school. James loved to play out on his bike and he often rode the short trip to school. Part of the route to school took his mum and him alongside the busy main road into the Centre of Manchester (and it really was for only 25 metres, I know as I did it myself on foot every day). Horrifically he had pedalled a bit too fast, wobbled and unable to brake in time left the pavement to be hit by a car and killed. 2014 saw me giving a talk back in my old area of South Manchester. After the show, I took myself off to have a look at the school, my first visit since leaving there all those years before. I knew I simply had to park in Bartlett Rd, retracing the route my earlier self-used to tread twice every week day for three years. I needed to feel, reach out and feel. And I knew I would be able to help Jimmy now. Finally, stood on the road outside my former school, looking across I reached out into the ethers of the building. Was he still there? Not a single trace of Jimmy. I sensed, in fact the more I meditated the more I knew for sure, some kind soul from the psychic research organisation had been there many years before me (perhaps even Frazier himself) and finally helped Jimmy to find the light and peace.

DECANUS FRAGARIA III

DEANFRASERCENTRAL.COM 24

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BY S AM BE NNE T T S Mention the word Ouija and many people suddenly feel sick or scared. They step back and take a deep breath, but why? It’s a piece of wood with great artistry and a nicely shaped planchette that comes with it. But to many the stories of the Ouija over the years have scared them and allow our imaginations to run wild. So, let’s look back over the history of the board to help us to understand why this has happened. The first actual Ouija was originally used by the China dynasty around 1100 BC. Did you know that? So, this shows you how long this had been around. 127 years ago, the first advertised Ouija was sold as a talking board at a great price of $1.50. Such a simple design of letters accompanied with the planchette, which has become the most talked about board in history. We have all heard the stories from childhood, saying bad things about the board and that it was demonic. Causing many people to have this fear. Children on sleepovers wanting to get up to mischief trying to redesign the board by using paper for the letters and a glass for the planchette and then running out of the room and then scared forever. Houses burning down and the only thing to survive – the Ouija and then all the religious groups that preached that it channels evil and dark entities. Wow what a great source for Hollywood!! And that is exactly what happened. Hollywood picked up on the fearful board and knew they were going to make big money and so did the TV stations. Endless films and TV shows now started to use this tool and to scare the bejesus out of people (or try too). But fact is the Victorians, were fascinated by the idea of being able to communicate with their loved ones whom had past. The Ouija also became known as the parlour game. Victorians were exposed to death far more often than we are today, and the Ouija board gained immense popularity.

BUT it broke a lot of rules. At a time when you weren’t supposed to be alone with people of opposite sex, and people weren’t supposed to be touching, the Ouija Board was built so that you put it on your knees and your fingers would touch, so this was the ultimate date game. The original directions would say that for best results, [use with] two people — lady and gentleman preferred. That’s why men wanted to buy it for women! As the interest in divination and spiritualism became stronger, the church declared that divination was a sin. This then made people practice these tools in small house gatherings. But over time Scientists have had their theories about the Ouija and the most recent is that there is a mysterious mechanism that powers the Ouija called the ideomotor effect, which is basically a way for the body to talk to itself. The ideomotor effect is an example of unconscious, involuntary physical movement — that is, we move when we’re not trying to move. In the case of a Ouija board, your brain may unconsciously create images and memories when you ask the board questions. Your body responds to your brain without you consciously “telling” it to do so, causing the muscles in your hands and arms to move the pointer to the answers that you again, unconsciously may want to receive. I for one love that the scientists of the paranormal world have come up with the ideomotor idea, to put a sad face on those who love the board, but I for one would love to ask these scientists, if the ideomotor is correct, how can a planchette move to the letters of the alphabet if no fingers are on this and you are asking a

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question from the distance. So, I will leave that question open! I am one of those people to love the board, the things I have witnessed have been over whelming and some hard to describe. But I for one will only use the board with utmost respect. By boards are all protected by protection chants and I will not let anyone be rude or disrespectful. The Ouija board is a poignant reminder that it can play on people’s timeless need for more information about the future than is presently available, which tells us a lot about ourselves. But either way the enduring fascination with the Ouija is still evident today. Groups of laughing children asking their questions to this mysterious board during a sleepover? As ever, there are those who claim that this type of experimentation is a sin, while others see it as a harmless pastime for a long Halloween evening. No matter how you look at it the Ouija will outlive us all and more stories will be told hundred years from today. Sam What’s your take on the Ouija Board? Love it, hate it, use it, wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole? Let us know comments@ hauntedmagazine.co.uk, it’s always nice to receive emails from our readers rather than Nigerian Dictators or Russian women wanting to marry us (flattered though we are)

GOODBYE!!

‘HELP! MY HOUSE IS HAUNTED!’ is a 12-episode series created by Zak Bagans, creator, executive producer and host of one of ‘Ghost Adventures’. The series will feature an expert team of international investigators (right to left) Barri Ghai, Sandy Lakdar and Chris Fleming. Families living in homes they believe are haunted will each present a case file of paranormal activities to the experts who then research historical evidence. Using years of expertise and highly specialised technical equipment the team sets to work to find answers to the unexplained, and free homeowners from unwelcome spirits or learn how to coexist with them. The show will air on Really channel’s #frightday from Friday 13th July 2018. So Barri, how did you get the gig for HMHIH? A few years ago, now, I received a call from the head of development at Back2Back productions. They pitched the show to me and asked me if I wanted to be considered. They never mentioned Zak’s involvement at first, but it sounded like a great opportunity, so I was in. A few months later I received a second call which explained more, and I couldn’t believe it. This was a chance to work with one of the best paranormal investigators in the field. I was told that Zak would be picking the final team and they would let me know. I waited for several months before getting the call. He apparently thought I was great and chose me personally to be part of the international trio of investigators. It was sometime before the whole

production began real development and I remember when it finally started. It all came about so quickly. What a ride it’s been and I’m so glad I took that call! When did your fascination for the paranormal begin? From a very early age I’ve always been fascinated with ghosts and the supernatural. I remember reading all the books in my local public library and speaking to people about their own personal experiences. In my teenage years I encountered a spirit that changed my life. It was nasty and troubled me for many years. It was like I suddenly became a beacon for spirits and I was encountering more and more phenomena all the time. Maybe my unnatural curiosity with the paranormal made me more vulnerable

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or susceptible, but it all culminated in my late teenage years when I saw the ghost of a little girl by my bedside. That experience will stay with me forever and, I believe, focused my interest further to establish my own paranormal research team and do the job I now do! Can you explain the way HMHIH works? What is the scariest location that you’ve experienced? HMHIH is unlike anything out there. Yes, we investigate hauntings and yes, we use gadgets and techniques commonly used by others, but this show brings history, science, real people and real experiences to screen. Three of us from very different backgrounds, levels of experience and theories have come together from across the world to help people with their real paranormal experiences.

We investigated haunted homes, houses, pubs, mansions, castles, anywhere where people genuinely live and are experiencing intense paranormal phenomena. The three of us learn all about the case, carry out research and investigate the building before Chris helps to send some of these energies on their way. We do all this before revealing our findings to the owners. Some of the evidence gathered and experiences that we had during the three months of filming were astonishing and changed my perception on things completely. One of the locations we visited genuinely scared me, and it’s somewhere I can never bring myself to visit again. I took a photograph which clearly shows evidence that there are inhuman spirits out there. The house is full of negative

and oppressive energy, and at one point I broke down and had to leave. I became so overwhelmed with emotion there and it played on me way too much. I’m normally a strong person and very practically minded but, on this occasion, I wasn’t myself and it shook me up. It’s great to see a UK Paranormal TV show, why has there been such a lack of them over the years? The UK has had some great homegrown examples that have been really successful and it’s fantastic that UKTV and Back2Back are investing in a new, ambitious show in this area. I’m so excited to be part of this brand-new series, as it’s great that there are lots of paranormal fans who love the genre. The UK paranormal bubble won’t burst anytime soon as there’s plenty of room for

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more paranormal themed programmes. There are also loads of UK teams out there who are making new discoveries all the time and I’m sure there are even more TV opportunities for them in the future. What was it like working with Chris (Fleming) & Sandy (Lakdar) on HMHIH? Working with these two was an amazing experience. Chris has been doing this for years and became like the daddy of the team, as he really looked after us and I learnt a lot from him. Sandy who’s has been investigating for around 5 years brought a great fresh perspective on everything. She also looks amazing on camera and is experienced at film making so really helped take this to another level.

“I’m a firm believer in fate and destiny. I was meant to meet Chris and Sandy and we were meant to go on this journey together. I can’t put it into words, but the spirits knew we were coming before we did!”

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We all had our roles to play. I am the tech guy and rely on equipment and technology to obtain results. Chris is a very gifted psychic and medium, he somehow manages to connect the dots and really held us all together. It’s funny because as a team we started to connect with each other on another level. We were having premonitions and dreams, we kept receiving signs from the universe and despite periods of emotional stress and frustration, we worked together and achieved what I believe is a great paranormal TV show. Over the years has your belief in all things paranormal changed?

over the years, I’ve spoken with thousands of everyday people living in allegedly haunted homes. I think people are often scared to come forward and say what’s actually occurring for fear of ridicule and the possible negative impact it may have on their lives. What’s next on the agenda for Barri Ghai? I have just finished filming a 10part series where I am an on-screen series expert. There’s more in the pipeline, but for now I’m happy riding this wave and can’t wait for the new series to air.

Yes, I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years now and I think this show and working with Chris and Sandy has changed my perspective somewhat.

How does a paranormal TV show differ from a non-TV paranormal investigation?

I now believe in entities that, to put it bluntly, are demonic in nature. I know that sounds dark, but we genuinely experienced these creatures and I believe that the encounters I’ve had in the past were all intrinsically linked in some way to those of the present and my future.

There is a massive difference. For one a non-TV investigation can be done slowly and there’s always time to analyse and make organic changes to the way you do something. During TV investigations, you’re on a schedule and I guess in some cases are working towards a narrative or framework of direction.

I’m a firm believer in fate and destiny. I was meant to meet Chris and Sandy and we were meant to go on this journey together. I can’t put it into words, but the spirits knew we were coming before we did! I think the biggest change has been self-realisation and a knowing that we’ve still got more to do, and I’ve still got more to learn.

There’s never any time to take stock of things and you must think fast on your feet. The biggest issue is analysis of evidence. It can normally take weeks to go through things, but for TV purposes this must be done in a few hours. I’ve become pretty good at checking video footage and audio in quick time.

your

Out of Sandy, Chris and yourself, who was the most scared at any time during HMHIH?

There are so many places I haven’t yet been to or seen. I hope to one day visit Eastern State Penitentiary, Houska Castle, The infamous suicide forest in Japan and also Gettysburg.

Ha ha ha that would be telling! I’m sure they would say me, but I think I saw real fear from them also. I’m not entirely sure, but I think I had the most on-screen scares!

HMHIH (does what it says on the tin) and helps people living in haunted houses, do you think there’s many haunted houses out there that people are not reporting for one reason or another?

You’re having a dinner party at chez Ghai and you can invite 6 guests from the past or present (real or fictional), who would they be and why, and what would you serve?

Absolutely, I receive dozens of requests for help each week and,

What a crazy question...after much thinking....

What locations are on paranormal bucket list?

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I guess I would invite Superman, Bruce Lee, Albert Einstein, Raudive Konstantin, Captain Kirk and the Tasmanian Devil! I’m a huge Superman fan and grew up wishing I could fly. Bruce Lee also inspired me to take up martial arts from a young age and is a legend. Albert Einstein would blow my mind. I could ask him all sorts and learn so much more. Raudive would be able to answer those questions we’ve always wanted to know about life after death, frequency and ITC. Captain Kirk would be just too cool not to share a meal with and the Tasmanian Devil would just be for the entertainment value. Imagine eating and having a few beers when suddenly this whirlwind of hair flies by and destroys everything. Couldn’t be funnier... I reckon this question says a lot about my crazy personality. I think I would cook them all a hot lamb curry, some boiled rice and plenty of spicy vegetables. I love a good curry and like to think I’m a pretty decent cook. And finally, do you think the paranormal will ever be proven 100% or would that make it not as fun? I don’t know...As science evolves and the human brain starts to appreciate that it has no real limitations we may one day unlock these secrets. I firmly believe that the consciousness continues after death and just evolves from one form of energy to another. Look how far we’ve come as a species in the last hundred years. Perhaps in the year 3000 we may well have all the answers, and if we are all still here ‘humans’ would be able to speak to the dead as easy as we can just call or message our friends today. Barri, it has been a pleasure…

THERE’S TROUBLE AT THE MILL! By Hubert Hobux

n a recent article I related a stroll around haunted Shining Cliff wood , that culminated in an encounter with a malevolent entity called Jeffers, little did I realise at the time that his animosity could follow us into another, completely different investigation... even though the location of this investigation was only a cock strides from his domain, unbeknownst to me he was a bit of a regular thorn in the side for the mediums of Haunted Company event team....in fact, as you will see, he was a bit of a stinker all round, especially at...

The Unity Mill Paranormal Investigations

moment with them yet I couldn’t say no, and within less than half an hour I had seen a fullbodied apparition walking the antique laden shop floors; fellow investigator James said to me,

Belper, a Derbyshire rural idyll that was turned into an industrial hub by textile magnates Richard Arkwright and Jedediah Strutt, is crammed with huge stonebuilt Mills that straddle the river Derwent which powered their immense engines.... in time the mills fell silent, their empty floors eventually converted into office or retail space... though the long past work force may not have entirely vanished... especially at Unity Mill, tucked around the back of the town on Derwent street, a place reputed to be highly haunted due to the devastating conflagration on the top floor that was being used as a children’s crèche at the time, resulting in several deaths apparently....(health and safety at work)! Haunted Company invited me along, having never had a dull HAUNT ED

“Can you see him in the corner?” I looked over to what I thought was a shop mannequin, dressed in cap, short sleeves and waistcoat, in typical Victorian mill worker style; until it moved its left arm and James and I both said in unison.... “He’s just moved his arm!” At that instant, the ‘mannequin’ just dissolved into the corner! That would have made the whole night for me but from there, we both went into the highest part of the mill, the roof space that was choc a block with timber and building supplies at the time and as we felt the temperature fluctuate and called out into the darkness; the unmistakable laugh of a highly amused child reverberated in our faces! Of course there was no visible child

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up there with us. We just looked at each other open mouthed. What a place for spirit attraction that is, Strutts Mill, later known as Unity Mill! Others were picking up on children’s spirits playing the floors below, a little girl seems to be a regular constant there, but her father appears to be keeping his eye on her; though from a distance... (maybe he was the mannequin ghost man)? All was going spectacularly well until the time came for a full group seance on the particularly creepy top floor. All night long, we had been noticing a musty, earthy, ‘sewagey’ smell which would periodically appear from nowhere then just as quickly clear, several of us had commented on this stink, we just assumed the antique centre was having problems with its plumbing, then we realised that all of us using the spirit boards in that location were getting quite nasty, menacing messages coming through it. The mediums hadn’t like to say, but they knew from

“My second visit to an event there resulted in me seeing another full-blown apparition.”

experience who it was; Jeffers, the nasty piece of work that haunts Shining Cliff was amusing himself by attempting to hijack the event... and he’d recognised me apparently as somebody he didn’t like (feeling’s mutual!) Luckily, that was as far as he took it. We spent the rest of the night laughing at the stinker in disdain and he seemed to slink off in boredom or defeat.

full-blown apparition. I wasn’t looking for one at the time; just walking up the stair case when something made me glance down the narrow aisle between the antique packed shop units where a man in a twentieth century style suit was sat at a desk, busily writing away at something... then in a second, he was gone! Just vanished! Just like that!

The circle seance we had when that rat bag was gone was hilarious, one of the more sensitive guests, a young lady, channelled the bombastic spirit of Mr. George Benson Strutt, (we think) who demanded to know why we were all stood about, doing nothing! On his time! This was such a comical situation I could suppress my laughter no longer, as a result, Mr. Strutt sacked me on the spot, and we ended the night all doubled up in fits of hysterics!

Spent the rest of the night calling out for him without success of a second sighting unfortunately but he had left a very chilling cold area behind him! A few human pendulums and spirit board sessions later and the nice old spirits we had encountered the original visit were coming through again, like familiar old acquaintances you’ve passed in a street ages ago, saw the rather amazing floating head of a man actually materialise in a cloud of smoke and laser point lights, turn, and look down at one of the Haunted Company team members as if to say, “what you up to?” Many will call it pareidolia, I know

Unity Mill had become my favourite haunted location, my second visit to an event there resulted in me seeing another

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what I saw and like the smoke phantom himself. I was blown away!! Now I know what you’re thinking, “Was it the foul Jeffers” you are thinking, no don’t think it was, Jeffers was conspicuous by his absence on this occasion, although the night did not pass without confrontation by an entity encumbered by negativity. Medium Andrew rounds these events off with highly charged seances that really bring the deeply buried secrets out of the fabric of the buildings... That nights seance would not disappoint.... The energy that was called up was pretty powerful, powerful enough to stomp its way down the entire length of the top floor, rocking oversized, heavy wooden antique doors that were leant and stacked in racks, he was hostile, another Mill manager, not the blustery Strutt, this was a cold calculating no nonsense spirit that wanted us out and gone......could well have been the manager from the period of the fire, in which case he could have been trapped within his

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own guilt, he was a spirit that could drain us flat emotionally and fortunately we shut him down before he could, or did he shut us..?? For as the spirit left, we shrieked as two police officers burst in on us, wanting to know what was going off...... (Someone had reported strange lights within Unity Mill)!! I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.... never had a dull moment yet with Haunted Company!

Hubert Hobux

You can shop at Derwentside Shopping Mill and contact them on Facebook, or visit

www.derwentsidehomecentre.co.uk Or follow Haunted Company on Facebook for future investigations, contact at

www.hauntedcompany.com 31

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idden in the Leicestershire town of Hinckley is something that, Haunted Magazine thinks, is going to become one of the most popular paranormal places of 2019 and beyond. I will try and paint you a paranormal picture. You know when you go to a location, say a castle, or an abbey or a haunted council house, you are more than aware of the locationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and mystery, the ghosts, the murders, the paranormal activity and all that goes with it. You get the drill yes? But what if there was a place, a place that does not have a potted history of death, and disaster and madness and mayhem BUT maybe full of ghosts, spirits, spooks, entities that werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there originally or have no historical connection to the building AND yet are just as bizarre and just as potentially scary than the Grey Lady, The White Lady and all the ladies of colours? Well, ladies and gentlemen, there is such a place, a place that from the outside might look like a solicitor or a firm of insurance brokers but once you ascend the stairs and open the door your perception will be altered. Guaranteed.

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You might think we are purposely building the place up because we are able to run events there but even if we didn’t have the fortune to do so we would still be in love with the place, because it is different, so different that it is going to become one of the places that will be on your bucket list for sure. Imagine a meeting place, a resting place for the unknown, imagine a World War 1 Gas Mask, what has it been part of for 100 years, what / who has it come into contact with, what energies are attached to it, what horror and despair is part of its fabric? Maybe nothing, maybe something? This is the beauty of the Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre, it is a museum with a difference, a den of antiquities with a twist, death masks, Memento Mori death pictures, voodoo dolls, that Crying Boy painting, Victorian Bones, dolls, clowns, aged Militaria and so much more, lots of items with nothing in common that might or might not be haunted. Again, this is the simplicity of the location, the owner Neil Packer doesn’t advertise this as “Packer’s Place of Paranormal Phenomena” citing that every item is haunted, every item has a haunting and harrowing history, in fact some of the items there is little history / information on them and Neil actively encourages the paranormal lovers to help him find out more. Haunted Magazine, as part of HauntedLIVE had the pleasure of doing a LIVE Facebook Ghost Hunt there a few months ago and Jason Wall, Andy Soar and myself were absolutely amazed by the place. AND something happened that I am yet to work out despite racking my brains as to why and how and WTF. I will try to describe it: “The live had finished and we were packing away and chatting to Neil and his team, Sam, Maxine and Sharon and in the Séance Room that the location as, they have one of those SLS camera / Stick Man monitors which I have seen on many a TV programme and always thought there was a logical explanation behind a dancing “stick man”. Anyway despite no Stick Man appearing on the monitor whilst the live took place, we were alerted by the team that the Stick Man monitor was picking something up in the empty Séance Room (and it was empty), the door to it was half open (half closed to a paranormal pessimist) and it appeared oddly that there was indeed a stick man hiding behind the door like you would if you wanted to make someone jump when they walked in, as the door was half open and the monitor was in the far right corner of the room, we could all clearly see the “stick man”. What happened next is something that I am still battling with and no digital camera expert will be able to convince me that it was some kind of modern tech blip or trick of the camera. Jason slowly opened the door to Séance Room, in an effort to see if we could see more and as the Stick Man was hiding behind the door, the motion of the door forced Stick Man to fall over, WITNESSED BY SIX PEOPLE. My gob was smacked, the fella (or woman to be fair) appeared to be hit by the door and fell over, it seemed like time stood still as I stood there, mouth agog unable to say, “what the f**k” and I so wanted to say those words. Then the Stick person got up as I would do if I’d had a door pushed into me which made me fall over. You may think that’s small and insignificant and not really relevant to the many items in the building and you’d be right, BUT we saw it, I saw it and it was something which (to this day) I cannot explain, and I wish I had caught the damn thing on camera to show you”.

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We caught up with Neil Packer, the owner of the exciting new place, and despite only meeting Neil a few months ago, we have become good friends. Neil is a man of few words, there’s no ego despite what he is creating and building. How long have you been interested / investigating the paranormal? I’ve been interested in the paranormal for as long as I can remember but been investigating for about six years What experiences have you had? I’ve seen one full bodied apparition but caught lots of interesting stuff on camera. Having visited the Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre, we can see that gathering the artefacts is clearly a labour of love to you. What made you want to create one in Hinckley? The main reason is that I live in Hinckley which I think is a lovely small town and I wanted to make everyone aware of this area of the paranormal which isn’t always recognised Have you been to any other Haunted Antiques museums around the world and if so how does it compare? I’ve never been to another haunted antiques museum I think mine is very unique in the UK

Tell us about some of your favourite objects. My favourite items are the wheelchair, which was from a WW2 rehabilitation hospital. My medical section is really taking shape with some awesome items. What are your own personal beliefs in the curses and possession? I personally don’t believe in demons I believe they were created by the church to keep control of the people. I may be proved wrong one day. The mind is a very powerful thing. How easy is it to find the supposed cursed / possessed artefacts that you exhibit? We are drawn to items, so it is proving to be quite easy for us. We recently purchased some items that are interesting, to say the least, and I know I said before that I don’t believe in demons, I still believe that demonic things can happen and might exist. I think we are just scratching the tip of the iceberg where the paranormal is concerned. Has there ever been an object that you refused to take? Has there been one that someone has refused to give you?

on the BBC and ‘This Morning’. Are you enjoying this, and do you find that there’s a general undertone that the paranormal is mocked in mainstream media? I am really enjoying the attention I must admit. I feel I have something special on my hands with the centre so would like even more people to see it. I think the mainstream is quite nervous about showing the paranormal. What are the future plans for the centre? I have lots of plans for the future as this is just the beginning. Obviously, I would like to show more people that the paranormal isn’t just about the dark scary negative stuff, although dark scary and negative is fun to investigate, there’s a whole history to discover from these items. You need to check this place out, especially if you’re close to the Leicestershire area, or are passing through, it is a genuine hidden gem and it shouldn’t be the case. Whether your part of a group, a member of the paranormal loving public or just a lover of antiques, this place is amazing.

I have never refused to take an object. I don’t think I would refuse any. I would like to investigate a famous item

The Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre is based in Hinckley, Leicestershire and you can find more information about it by checking out

The centre had brought you a fair amount of media attention with appearances

www.facebook.com/hauntedresearch/

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Cherno b bucke yl is on t list ma parano for g ny a para rmal investig host hunt normal of wa ers a ators, lking nd a r for o ver 30 ound an ab the though t a come years ndoned t is a spooky space histor rue. Yet, it ha ies of dream s died d haunt ings, o no recorde uring the ac nly tw d is it tual a on th o peo e buc p c le c types? id ent so ket li Is it st o why Natur e in a the desolat f paranorm moder ion of al aband n wo on Mothe r it the ment of lif rld, is it t he tot e, pure al the ha horror of a n d sim wh unting of wh at happened ple? Is atâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s le ? Is it ft? Hele

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out.

'Attention citizens of Pripyat, attention! You must leave your houses immediately! Take only necessary things and leave the rest behind!!! '

can't begin to imagine the horror and panic people must have felt hearing that announcement. What possessions do you consider important? What do you leave behind in the frantic rush to save the life of your family? The Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident happened 25â&#x20AC;&#x201C;26 April 1986 and was the largest nuclear energy disaster in history. The explosion took place in the fourth block of the Chernobyl power plant, located only 120 km from the capital

of Ukraine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kiev, close to the border with Belarus. 50,000 people left their homes behind in Pripyat just 3 km away from the nuclear power plant. I have always been drawn to the unusual, since I can remember I have always been obsessed with the macabre. Exploring places no longer used by others incited a curiosity in me to find out how time and nature effect spaces and what others choose to leave behind. I honestly don't remember when the disaster happened, I was HAUNT ED

12. I recall a friend telling me about the Chernobyl exclusion zone around 10 years ago and mentioning he would love to visit. For me at the time, I had only just begun to explore abandoned spaces and thought the idea of going somewhere where there was still radiation seemed quite bizarre. I guess the seed was planted with Chernobyl and eventually after looking at images taken by others, researching into what happened more and finding out if it was safe, it became the godfather of urban exploration.

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king in boo e are d e t s e e th r ter are in difference, n get in u o y a If you c with a a trip er of ways b a num e : on th h c tou ation tour visit t m r o f i n a i s i v g e r n i r o For m r and book ylwel.com/ o e t s nob a s i d w.cher page w w / / : s http acebook / .com F book e their c a ww.f e/ s://w how l.com http YLwe B ion on visit, O t N a R m E r H o C s inf one is to z her te hold The si he exclusion lots of ot safe t appened and h what s fact .

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What I didn't realise was that going and seeing for myself would make me more aware of how it affected all those who lived there and the lives which were sacrificed to help control the situation. Learning about what had happened changed the way in which I would look at mankind's approach to producing power and its effect on the environment. Going to Chernobyl was breath taking, exhausting, exhilarating, heart breaking and educational. Life goes on in Chernobyl after 32 years. Nature is thriving! Butterflies, Maybugs, dragonflies and birds fly around as you get off the bus at the 30km check point. Dogs roam around and red-tailed carp swim in the waters near the reactor. Trees grow through the concrete and wrap themselves around lampposts. Vines grow through windows of buildings and paint peels from the walls in the most beautiful fashion. We even met a resident who moved back into the zone! My images look at what was left behind, how time has taken its toll, how nature has reclaimed and how hauntingly beautiful life is there after so many lives were changed. Since coming back from the tour I entered one of my images taken on the tour into a competition run by the tour company we booked with - CHERNOBYLwelcome. The image I took was of a piano left in an apartment block, apartment 56, floor 4 in Pripyat. The piano for me invokes someone's solitary moments of creativity or a family singing along together. They could not carry its literal weight but the memories they can always keep. The things they chose to take in that moment of panic may not have been material but remains in their hearts and minds. I was delighted to have won the role of ambassador for the company and am now planning my own photo tour for next year. I will also be holding an exhibition of my urban explorations over the last 10 years which will include images taken in the Chernobyl exclusion zone amongst pictures of derelict hospitals, mental asylums, abandoned theme parks, night clubs, farm houses, theatres and power stations. Details on the exhibition will be revealed this summer on my website and page.

To look at more of my work visit; www.helenaeloisephotography.com or visit www.facebook.com/helenaeloisephotography If you are interested in a place on my photo tour next year, please email helenarox@live.co.uk

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Like your Ghouls with some Goulash? Like some soup to go with the SOUPernatural?

** ** ** ** **

NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW

WRITER WRITER WRITER WRITER WRITER

ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT

** ** ** ** **

By Amanda R. Woomer (Spook-Eats)

nlike many hotels in America who like to keep their dirty little secrets hidden away, the Stanley Hotel has not only embraced its haunted history, but it has evolved its own image to include the ghost stories that haunt its halls. Instead of hiding their ghosts and ghouls in closets and under the bed, the Stanley Hotel shines a spotlight on their paranormal residents, making it a mecca for ghost hunters and horror fans alike.

The Stanley Hotel located just five miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, Colorado was built on July 4, 1909, by Freelan Oscar Stanley with 142 rooms and over 160 acres of first-class elegance. Over the last century, the hotel has welcomed the Unsinkable Molly Brown, Bob Dylan, the cast of the film Dumb and Dumber, and of course, the Stanley’s most famous guest, Stephen King.

According to stories, Room 217 is being haunted by Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson, the former head maid from when the Stanley first opened. The story claims that Mrs. Wilson was lighting a gas lamp in (you guessed it) Room 217 when a freak explosion happened, injuring the maid. However, Mrs. Wilson survived the accident and lived until 1950… the exact same year paranormal activity began in Room 217.

King and his wife, Tabitha, checked into the Stanley Hotel on October 30, 1974 (of course it would be Halloween) and his single night spent in Room 217 is what inspired one of his most significant works, The Shining. The room King stayed in played a substantial role in the book and, today, it is one of the most requested rooms in the hotel, and not just because of its portrayal in King’s classic novel.

For those of you brave enough (or crazy enough) to spend a night in the infamous King Room, you’ll have to call the Stanley Hotel directly since the room is not available to book online. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to book way in advance since this is the most famous of the haunted rooms at the hotel. But if you can’t sneak into Mrs. Wilson’s room, have no fear! There are plenty of spooks to go around at the Stanley Hotel and other rooms far more terrifying for you to choose from.

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If stinky men trying to kiss you in the middle of the night isn’t really your thing, why not head up two flights of stairs? It’s said that the entire fourth floor is haunted and the scariest room of them all awaits you there.

Room 301 is the home to Eddie or the “Stinky Man.” Unfortunately, he gets his name from the body odour most guests claim to smell when staying in his room. According to legend, Eddie fell down the elevator shaft and met his untimely death, and today, he spends his time pulling pranks on guests in Room 301 as well as harassing some of the ladies who choose to stay there.

Of course, most paranormal enthusiasts, ghost hunters, and horror fans will scramble and drop more than $400 for a single night in Room 217 (you read that right, and it hurts, doesn’t it?). Many times, while booking, fans will be disappointed to find the room already booked for the next few months. What they don’t know is that 217 is not considered to be the most haunted room at the hotel. That honour falls to Room 418 which is said to be haunted by ghostly children who are caught playing, running, and laughing in the middle of the night. Hangers will move on their own. Paintings will crash from the walls. Lights will turn on and off. And (living) children staying in the room claim to have been tickled by unseen hands.

actually stayed at the Stanley Hotel; however, he did own the land that Stanley built the hotel on, and today he roams the halls of the fourth floor and also managed to get a Bloody Mary named after him in the bar (let’s talk about life goals, here). I suppose there are worse ways to spend eternity. The ghosts of the Stanley Hotel aren’t just lurking in the hotel rooms, some of them have been seen wandering freely through the lounge, restaurants, foyer, ballroom, and billiards room. Guests and staff alike have reported hearing the antique Steinway piano playing in the ballroom… the same piano Flora Stanley played over 100 years ago. And Stanley, himself, has been seen in the billiards room which was one of his favourite haunts while he was still alive (pun intended). But the spirits roaming the halls of the hotel aren’t the only ones you’ll find at the Stanley. There are also four dining experiences for you to choose from whether you’re staying as a guest or just stopping by in the hopes of seeing Jack Nicholson. The café and bake shop in the basement is called Colorado Cherry Co., and it’s a great little shop where you can purchase local chocolates, jellies, and coffees for you to take on your drive through the mountains. There is also a smart casual dining room called Cascades which includes the Whiskey Bar (sorry, no

If ghost children are a bit too unnerving for you, might I suggest Room 401, the eternal home to the Irishman, Lord Dunraven. Lord Dunraven never

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old bartenders named Grady, here). Cascades offers American cuisine with a focus on unique cuts of meat including Colorado Game Meatloaf, Filet Mignon, and even Grilled Elk Loin! And if you’re already spending $400 on Room 217, why not check out Table: A Culinary Journey for just $100 per person? According to guests that have attended the over-the-top popup restaurant, it is a once in a lifetime experience (and with a price tag like that, I could only afford to experience it once in my life) Because I was walking around in muddy hiking boots (hiking through the Rockies in August where there are still piles of snow will do that to you) and more so because I’m poor, I skipped out on Table and Cascades and decided to tap into my inner Jack Torrance and bellied up to the Whiskey Bar. They have an incredible selection of liquors (supposedly over 1200 bottles) that was wasted on a layman like myself. Instead, I chose to enjoy the most stereotypical thing on their menu: the Redrum Punch. It was cheesy. It was delicious. And it was expensive. For $13, you can enjoy a few sips of the Redrum Punch and then wander around the haunted halls, wondering what power resides in the Stanley Hotel to make you spend so much money on literally everything.

But, again, paranormal investigators and travellers who are merely curious about the hotel’s history will find that the Stanley Hotel does not disappoint when it comes to the creep factor. Aside from its paranormal claims and drinks inspired by its ghostly inhabitants, the Stanley also hosts a horror film festival each year, and every day they offer both historical and paranormal tours through the hotel. I highly recommend getting on one of these tours. Most of the hotel is blocked off, and there are only two ways to get past those barriers: paying $400 a night to sleep there or $28 for the tour ($23 if you’re just doing the historic tour but who wants to do that?). Sadly, I did not see any ghosts during my short visit to the hotel (mostly because one cranky janitor kept closing the door to the ballroom). However, if the Stanley Hotel is good enough for the likes of Ghost Hunters and Stephen King, it’s certainly good enough for me. And it looks like the Stanley Hotel will continue to embrace its creepy history and give guests the chance to peek through the veil and see just what’s on the other side (besides billiards, late night piano playing, and a whole lot of whiskey). For more information or if you’d like to book Room 217 (or even better: Room 418), check out the Stanley Hotel’s website at www. stanleyhotel.com or call them at 1 (970) 5774000.

Amanda

Spook-Eats, spookeats.wordpress.com

Amanda R. Woomer received her first award for her writing when she was 11 years old. She has works published in various antholo gies, expat magazines, and literary journals. Currently, she is a writer and editor for the geeky website, The Gee kiverse. She had her first paranormal experience whe n she was seven years old and lives in Upstate New York with her husband and cactus collection.

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he definition of the word troll has changed over the years, I remember, as a kid, being told the story of Three Billy Goats Gruff, you know the one, a Goat walks over a bridge, a Troll says he’s going to eat him, the Goat offers up a bigger, meatier, much tastier Goat who’ll be crossing very soon, to which the very hungry and greedy Troll can’t resist. The much tastier Goat tries to cross the bridge, offering the same “bigger, meatier, tastier” Goat to the gullible Troll. Up steps the bigger Goat only to kick the Troll’s arse into the river never to be seen again. If only it was that simple eh? Then recently there was the film TROLLS, which painted them as singing, dancing, lovable little creatures, who sang and danced their way through life without a care in the world, singing and dancing, dancing and singing and sounding remarkable like Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, James Corden and Russell Brand. Even with those two examples, you couldn’t get much more differing appearances of a TROLL. Even the internet definition is an ugly-cave dwelling creature depicted as either a giant OR a dwarf. A GIANT OR A DWARF???

nd now with the invention of social media, whilst those images of trolls under the bridge / lovable rogues are still out there and will always be some might say that the bridge has been replaced by a computer screen and rather than wanting to eat they feed on causing trouble, saying derogative things, THOU SHALL NOT PASS has replaced THOU SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED AN OPINION WITHOUT ME FIRST CALLING YOU AND CAUSING YOU A LOT OF SHIT, HURT, GRIEF AND UPSET. And it is rife in the paranormal world, as much as people in the paranormal world bleat on about “Paraunity”, there is a seething undercurrent of bitterness and jealousy, something which I am sure, exists in a lot of industries but seems to exist more than the norm in this one Now you know us as the fun loving, entertaining, cheeky chappies behind Haunted Magazine BUT we’ve never been afraid to be outspoken or controversial at times, hey, we even worked with Most Haunted for a while (I know, we really are sorry). When one of our closest and dearest paranormal friends, Hazel Ford, was subject to TROLLING we asked her to write (from the heart) about it and she has. Obviously, we can’t name names but most people reading this will know who these trolls are, it doesn’t take that much working out.

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In Internet slang, a TROLL is a person who sows discord on the internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion often for the TROLL’S own amusement. There are certainly some vicious TROLL’S in the paranormal world in my opinion, in fact we are inundated with them and it is probably easy to understand why. Ghost hunting is becoming more and more popular with the paranormal community growing in leaps and bounds. People everywhere are getting into the thrill of the ghost hunt and many people look forward to their weekends where they venture into the haunted location of their choice. Of course they must pay for this experience and it certainly doesn’t come cheap. With venues increasing their prices and Event Companies having to be innovative in their selling techniques to fill the places it is quite a pressurised environment to say the least.

environment have left these hard working and interested people scared to speak, to post any interesting pictures or to have any opinion whatsoever for fear of the vicious diatribe that happens when they dare to say they have enjoyed something or think they may have discovered something paranormal. It is taking your life or your reputation in your hands as the vultures’ circle around looking for their next prey in their attempts to promote themselves as the voice of all by attacking the achievements and success of others. Where else would somebody be able to swear at you publically, call somebody disgusting names and get away with it? So why should they get away with it on social media? There is nothing you can do about it. You must accept that you can be abused, ridiculed and tormented just because a Troll decides that is your fate. Mainly because you have been more successful or worked harder or you may be more popular, mainly through your own demanding work. I believe that many of these Keyboard Warriors wouldn’t know hard work if it hit them in the face and I believe that if they have the time to

“The paranormal environment though seems to have a bigger share than most and recently it has become untenable.” - Hazel Ford With literally hundreds of event companies offering this type of experience it is a competitive market. Companies are jostling with each other to offer the best price, best experience and yet still working hard to run a legitimate business at the same time. Many have given up jobs, careers and even compromised family time in their ambition to be the best that they can be and run fantastic ghost hunting events. With this being the case I often ask myself why a minority find it necessary to take it upon themselves to cause as much damage and disruption as they can possibly muster in their attempts to trash the arduous work of these companies usually from behind their keyboards for the purposes of getting a name for themselves on social media. All businesses have their trolls and the keyboard warriors who have nothing better to do than to destroy reputations of hard working individuals and companies. The majority of those within the paranormal environment are dedicated and hardworking in their search for the truth, wanting nothing more than to have that exact paranormal experience. There are serious investigation groups, people who are just interested and the event companies and we should all fit hand in hand and be proud to belong to such a unique enterprise. However, those that seek to destroy the 48

conjure up sick posts and incite hatred wherever they go, then they can’t possibly be usefully employed either. I for one am sick of it. I am sick to death of posts that are put up on these Trolls’ pages inciting people to attack others for no reason whatsoever. I know that there must be some deep psychological issues attached to these people and their apathetic followers. I am guessing that the paranormal environment is a place where they have found that they might be able to become important having had no success with anything else in their lives. It is an intangible and questionable science, so they can appear to be experts, but they are experts of nothing. It needs to stop. People need to stop being afraid and to treat these Trolls with the contempt that they deserve. We need to be able to share ideas freely and openly without fear of prejudice and attack. We need to be able to discuss whether something may or may not be paranormal without resorting to vicious abuse. We need to be able to embrace the work that we all do in whatever guise and support each other. Nobody is an expert, we are all on a journey and nobody had the right to disrespect the work of others. We will never stop these Trolls from trying to destroy all the decent work and the great people in HAUNT ED

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the paranormal environment, that is who they are as human beings, destructive and malicious. However, we can continue to not be afraid and to offer support to each other when we feel attacked, so people do not feel alone. People should be encouraged to share photos whether they can be debunked or not. We should have some humility and encourage each other so that we can all learn from each other. Can we ever stop the trolling? Sorry to say this but no, I don’t think we can. We would all have to be on the same page to do this and to be able to acknowledge to ourselves whether some of the comments and retaliations should ever be said on Social Media. I am guilty of this myself and have found myself taking the bait on more than one occasion. Without an audience though, they have nothing and nowhere to go. You also cannot change somebody’s language. What is unacceptable language to one person is completely acceptable language to another and therefore you have a conflict based just on your perception of what you believe is being meant in a comment. It is those comments that are done with malicious intent that are so hard to ignore and to see. When you see a post that knowingly gives inaccurate information and poses it in such a way that their target is somehow scamming the public, it is extremely hard to tolerate. There are so many posts like these and they lead to unnecessary, cruel and venomous attacks on the person or persons who are left to suffer the injustice of the Troll that decides their fate. TROLLS who enjoy the disharmony they create are needless entities that inflict themselves on the paranormal world and have no place being a part of it. They are unimportant, insignificant individuals who will do whatever it takes to give themselves a voice. This is probably mainly since they do not have a voice anywhere else in their lives apart from behind the safety of a keyboard. And finally, remember what happened to the Troll under the bridge…?

“Well, come along! I’ve got two spears, And I’ll poke your eyeballs out at your ears; I’ve got besides two curling-stones, And I’ll crush you to bits, body and bones” That was what the big Billy Goat said. And then he flew at the troll, and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the cascade… Just saying!

Skeptic Professor Phillip Goodman embarks upon a terrifying quest after stumbling across a long-lost file containing details of three cases of inexplicable 'hauntings'. Ghost Stories is a British portmanteau horror film written and directed by Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson, adapted from their stage play. It stars Nyman reprising his stage role, with Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther and Martin Freeman.The film premiered at the London Film Festival on 5 October 2017, was released nationwide in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2018 by Lionsgate.

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ytz INTERVIEW WITH

ANDY NYMAN ytz

Tell us about your ‘Ghost Storeis’ in one sentence, ‘spoiler’ free without using the word ‘and’. I have never had a ghost experience but wanted to imagine what that fear would be like. Was it easy to adapt the stage play into a film and was this something you had always planned to do? No, it was a huge amount of hard work. It took me and Jeremy Dyson about 18 months to do it. We were aware early on that the play had the potential to become a film, as its roots were all from our love of the genre. Making that a reality was a different kettle of fish! I saw the play back in 2010 in Liverpool, and it blew me away, did you know that it would scare the bejesus out of some people? (Myself included) Well we created something that would scare us and in doing that you hope it will have the same effect on other people.

love the cast an take huge pride in the fact that every single actor from the leads through to the smallest parts deliver 100%. It really helps create the world. Are you superstitious? What scares you? Not really superstitious and not a lot scares me. You were in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, forgive me I did not know that (thanks IMDB), are you fan and how did you get the part? To be honest I’m not really a fan. As a boy I was more about ‘Indianna Jones’. I did another film with Rian Johnson, ‘The Brothers Bloom’ and we loved working together. He is the nicest man. He cam to see me in a play on the West End - ‘Hangmen’ and after the show said he wanted me to pop in and do a cameo in the film. I was honoured to do so.

When did you first meet Jeremy? How do you find working / writing and now directing with him?

Referring back to the Hammer films and Portmanteau films that I loved as a kid growing up. There’s not many UK made scary films anymore, not may high profile, theatrically released ones anyway. Was it a difficult process to get yours made?

Jeremy and I met when we were 15 years old. We met at a jewish summer camp called ‘Chai 81’. Fate threw us together in the same dorm room. We instantly fell in love with each other’s shared interests of horror films, magic and filthy jokes! Working with Jeremy is one of the happiest experiences of my life. I adore him and spending time with him.

Well making any film is a slog - in a wonderful way. To write up the challenges and journey of getting it made would take up the whole magazine! But the short answer is, yes it was hard, but we had incredible producers who displayed remarkable faith in us and our vision.

Do you believe in ghosts and the supernatural, and if so have you had any paranormal experiences?

Do you have any areas of writing that are off-limits and if so what are they?

Nope and nope! Sorry to disappoint.

Nope!

How much of your character the debunker Philip Goodman comes from your own personal beliefs?

What’s next for Andy Nyman?

A lot actually. I have written with Derren Brown for almost 20 years so have quite a body of knowledge of the debunking world. With Paul Whitehouse, Martin Freeman and Alex Lawther in the other key roles, how much of a say did you have in casting the movie? Did you write and say, “I can see Paul Whitehouse playing Tony Matthews”? We cast every single role in the film. When you are directing the buck stops with you. We were forensic about every single role, every aspect of design and the look and feel od everything. We

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As an actor I have a whole load of stuff coming out. A new BBC/ Netflix series called ‘Wanderlust’, a new Amazon Studios show called ‘Hanna’ and two new films - ‘Judy’ about Judy Garland and I am about to go to Atlanta to shoot a fun couple of scenes in Disney’s ‘Jungle Cruise’. Then of course... Jeremy and I are working on our next film! More of that... when we’re shooting it! Such a pleasure speaking with you Andy and on behalf of Haunted Magazine we wish you all the best and welcome you back as the next one nears completion!

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ytz INTERVIEW WITH

JEREMY DYSON ytz Tell us about your ‘Ghost Storeis’ in one sentence, ‘spoiler’ free without using the word ‘and’. An attempt to entertain through the evocation of ‘Ehrfurcht’ on screen, ‘Ehrfurcht’ being the German word meaning something like ‘Reverence for that which we cannot understand’. How difficult was it to adapt the stage play for film? It was a lot of work. We (half) joked that it would have been much easier to write an original screenplay. We had to gradually let go of the stage show over a number of drafts, which was hard because it had worn deep grooves in our minds. Living in Yorkshire yourself, was it a conscious decision to use Yorkshire as a backdrop? It was actually an unconscious decision (in the sense that no conscious effort went into making it happen) and I couldn’t have been more delighted. Originally the choice was between Wales and Yorkshire, and then South Yorkshire or West Yorkshire. Because we found a spectacular first location (thank you amazing location manager Richard Knight) in West Yorkshire early on in prep, that fixed it. Once it was settled we really embraced it - because Andy’s family are from Leeds as well. It added to the personal sense the whole film took on. Clearly Andy Nyman’s name would be amongst the first to be cast. How do you find working / writing and now directing with him? Well, we had the same relationship on the stage play, so we’d already negotiated a way of working together that we both find deeply satisfying and enormous fun. Andy and I have been dear frieds for 37 years so it’s an unbelievable privilege and joy to get to work together so closely. And it’s a little known fact that Ghost Stories is not our first collaboration. We were, for Ghost Stories is released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK on Digital Downl oad 20th August and DVD & Blu-r ay 27th August 2018. 52

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Martin Freeman stars as Mike Priddle in ‘Ghost Stories’

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a short time in 1990, a magical double act called ‘The Fabulous Strudel Brothers’. Do you believe in ghosts and the supernatural, and if so have you had any paranormal experiences? Not in the traditional way - as in the spirits of the departed dead. I do however think that human perception is extremely limited and am deeply sceptical of the idea that scientific

materialism tells the whole story - I don’t think it’s capable of doing that. There are undoubtedly areas around the fringes of consciousness that are very mysterious (in fact consciousness itself is deeply mysterious). It’s essential to have a sense of the transcendent in life - which requires the humility of being able to say there’s much we don’t know, and may never know. How much of Andy’s character the debunker Philip Goodman comes from your own personal beliefs? Even though we are both sceptical about traditional notions of the Supernatural - neither me nor Andy are (I hope) as insufferably pompous and hubristic as poor old Phillip. However, we were obviously drawing on Andy’s experience of all his amazing work with Derren (which goes back to the late 90s) in portraying Goodman’s relationship with that world. With Paul Whitehouse, Martin Freeman and Alex Lawler in some of the key roles, how much of a say did you have in casting the movie? B l es s edl y, w e h ad co m pl ete s ay o v er cas ti n g - i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i th o u r pro du cer s - w h o fo r tu n atel y w ere al w a y s i n a c c o rd w i th u s . In fact, th ey co u l dn ’t h av e been m o re s u p p o r t i v e . Are you superstitious? I grew up in a superstitious family (well my mother and father’s mother) and came to realise it’s a very toxic thing, so I have worked hard in adulthood to free myself of as many superstitions as possible. What scares you? The human capacity for evil. Since you wrote your book “Bright Darkness: The Lost Art of the Supernatural Horror” film back in the late 1990’s, what are your thoughts on the modern supernatural horrors of today like ‘Paranormal Activity’, ‘The Conjuring’ etc... No question we’re in the midst of a golden age that began at the end of the last century with ‘The Sixth Sense’, followed by J-Horrors like ‘Ringu’ (‘The Ring’) and ‘Dark Water’. Me and Andy are admirers of many of the Blumhouse films and those aside there have been some superlative supernatural horrors this century. ‘Mama’ is a particular favourite for the way it combines scares with deep emotion. ‘Rec’ is incredible for its third act swivel. Too many others to mention here. ‘The League of Gentleman’ came back for a way too brief anniversary Christmas 2017. Do you have any plans to do any more? We’re about to embark on a UK Live Tour, through August and September - check online for details. Do you have any areas of writing that are off-limits and if so what are they? I think any areas one might feel are off-limits are the very areas one should be writing about. That’s the job. What’s next for Jeremy Dyson? League Tour aside, I have a number of TV projects in development, as well as several film scripts. Most importantly me and Andy are writing our follow up movie to ‘Ghost Stories’ - which we are very excited about.

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WE DON’T NEED NO PERMIT TO INVESTIGATE

‘THE HERMIT!’ BY VICKY GRANT

’m going to begin this article a little differently to my normal approach as I want to tell you about a piece of local folklore, a myth I once heard which first inspired me to want to visit

and investigate THE HERMIT’S CAVE. Let’s go back to the year 1130 in Derbyshire, where there lived a god-fearing baker whose reputation for being kind, caring and helpful spanned far and wide. The town’s people were fully aware that this gentle baker would always oblige and try to help them with anything he possibly could; and his good deeds did not go unnoticed as he was later compared to the biblical roman centurion, Cornelius.

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One midsummer’s day during an afternoon nap, Cornelius claimed he was visited by the Virgin Mary and was told that God had been pleased with his work. She asked the Baker to renounce all his earthly possessions and to move to Deep Dale to serve god in hunger, coldness, thirst and nakedness. Without a second thought, Cornelius left Derby in search of Deep Dale, a place he had never even knew of. Upon reaching the quaint village of Stanley, he overhead a mother telling her daughter to take the cattle to Deep Dale and the baker took this as a holy sign. He accompanied the young girl on her travels where he eventually came across Deep Dale which, at the time, was nothing more than rocks and marshland. Cornelius now feeling as if he were following the correct path that god had chosen for him decided to make this marshland his home. In the rock face, he carved himself a home which has a doorway and what are believed to be two windows with a niche for a light. This home is now locally referred to as ‘The Hermits Cave’. Whether or not this legend is true, and even whether Cornelius did exist remains to be established, although archaeological history will tell you that the markings on the cave are extremely old. Deep Dale is shrouded in myths and mysteries relating to this story, some of which even involve outlaws coming upon the hermit in his cave and later the same outlaws and highwaymen, after seeing the ‘light’ renounced their own bad ways to follow in the path of god. It is also said that the Lord of Ockbrook and Alvaston Manor had granted this Hermit permission to stay on his land later giving him the title of the mill at Borrowash. The Hermit’s cave is considered to be extremely holy ground holding a longstanding connection to Dale Abbey. Just across from the Hermit’s Cave (situated on private land) is a well rumoured to have been used by the hermit himself for collecting water.

This is not my first time investigating the Hermit’s cave; in fact, I have been here countless times before. I’d heard stories of this place long before I first visited it which was around 3 or so years ago now. The cave is surrounded by a beautiful forest, just past a small graveyard and farmhouse on the corner of the road. On my first visit, I remember how peaceful it felt whilst walking up to the caves and it can be such a blissful surrounding on the right day. The Cave itself has always been reputed to be haunted... But I had always wondered why?

an apparent fire pit - although for what purpose this was here, my mind could only wonder. Animal Bones have also been found inside the cave, which were seen to be unnatural at the time by the way they had been scattered. Again, this is something we will never be sure of, but following on from what we know had taken place here, it’s only natural to begin joining the dots. Many have theories that Cornelius is no longer at rest due to his former home being defiled in such a heinous manner while others believe there is an undocumented battle on these grounds between good and evil, I must admit being there at night, you

“I DO BELIEVE THIS CAVE AND WOODLAND AREA TO BE HAUNTED, OR AT LEAST HOLD MANY ENERGIES THAT ARE BATTLING WITH EACH OTHER. IT IS THESE ENERGIES, BOTH GOOD AND BAD THAT WE HERE AT DEAD CENTRAL WANTED TO INTERACT WITH. USING OUR RESEARCH OF THE LEGEND AND WHAT HAS SUPPOSEDLY TAKEN PLACE ON THIS LAND, WE RETURNED AGAIN TO THIS MYSTERIOUS CAVE IN THE HOPE THAT WE COULD SOMEHOW MAKE CONTACT WITH ITS OCCUPANT ONCE MORE...“ I began my research on the caves and came across many stories, slowly beginning to understand why the caves have so much reported activity. Over the many years, after the hermit came to his end - what was once considered to be Holy ground had apparently been spoiled by those of darker intentions. I found many stories which speak of the caves being used for ritualistic purposes and now much of the inside structure has been defaced by a multitude of unholy symbols, alongside the usual mindless vandalism. In the centre of the cave is HAUNT ED

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definitely get a feel that something is not quite right. I always say that our own bodies are the best tools whilst investigating as they are able to react to the different environments. This place can make you feel safe one moment, but the next you are completely thrown off guard, almost feeling as though you are under attack in some way. This has happened to me on several occasions. Our investigation took place during the UK bank Holiday weekend, Sunday the

6th of May. We arrived at Dale Abbey early, well before dark about 6pm and ventured up to the caves to take some photos whilst it was still daylight. I was actually surprised by how quiet the woodland was and with it being such a hot day I was expecting to see a lot more people around, either picnicking or walking their dogs. The only folk we came across were two joggers for the entire time we were there, and they didn’t stay very long at all.

We spent around an hour and a half or so at the Caves and didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary at this time. It wasn’t too long before we left to go to the local pub just down the road for dinner, which is where we waited for it to get dark.

As I mentioned before, the woodland itself has a peaceful atmosphere and on such a sunny day as this, it really was a delight to be walking in these woods. Once we reached the middle of the path, upwards is a trail of steps that lead to the cave. I didn’t count how many there were, but I can tell you that I definitelyneed to start going to the gym more!

I distinctly remember that as we reached the steps and began to walk up again that I heard a female voice; I was utterly convinced that someone was in the cave! It was not an audible saying, it was more like a ‘hum’ or a tuneful song that lasted no more than a couple of seconds. James was ahead of me and shone his torch directly at the cave and we could clearly see that no one was inside.

Once we reached the top, we took some more photos, looking more closely around the cave itself, noticing that yet more names had been carved on the walls; someone had carved a cross into the main rock face, something I hadn’t particularly noticed before although after speaking to James, he seemed to remember it although to me, it looked as if it had been recently reconstructed.

We returned at dusk which was around 9pm; it was a lot harder to navigate our feet over the hills to try and avoid the mud, but it was worth it all the same.

As we reached the top, we decided to scope out the place for a while, listening to our surroundings to gauge the natural noises, making sure that there definitely was no one else in the woodland to hamper our investigation. Satisfied that we were alone, we ventured into the cave and unpacked our equipment. HAUNT ED

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For the first part we decided to use the Mini REM pod which was designed by Andy at Infraready. I really like this device and it’s proved to work well in the past. Placing the REM pod in the doorway of the cave, both James and myself found a spot and began to do some calling out. We didn’t get much activity for the first twenty minutes or so, but then soon began to hear what sounded like banging on the cave wall - which was pretty loud! We checked the area once more, but no one was around, although this is the not the first time I have experienced these strange bangs whilst investigating here. A few times during this session, we thought we heard whispering voices, again female. We decided to conduct an EVP session. I recently downloaded an App called ‘Function Generator’ - It basically generates all different kinds of noise. The most popular being white noise, but this App also generates pink, brown, blue, violet and grey. There is nothing dodgy about the App at all, it’s simply used for noise only and I thought it’d be interesting to experiment with the different kinds. 57

We began by initially using brown noise, generally because James found its name amusing! We turned on the device and performed an EVP session, calling out for any spirits to use the energy and speak to us, at first asking them to say anything so that we knew someone was here with us. We didn’t receive any response and tried for a good few minutes, so we moved on and began to use the violet noise setting. I carried out a further EVP, asking out the same question as before. Upon playback this time we heard strange tapping noises on the recording, as if something was hitting the EVP recorder and I can guarantee I was holding it with my fingers out of the way. We actually video-recorded the EVP session and it’s available on our blog for you to watch. After this, I gave the EVP recorder to James and he tried to make contact, again using the violet noise. Upon playback you could distinctly hear 6 consecutive taps in a row, I know, as I counted them. I also made the connection to the caves ‘ritualistic’ history and the fact it was 6 taps... BUT, being level headed as ever, we continued. James tried to get the spirit to tap out a certain number, but it couldn’t be done; we’d ask for 7 but only receive 5 etc. I have no idea what was actually causing the noises, as you’ll see from the video, I did the EVP to try and debunk this, showing what you actually have to do to cause the noise, so to me, this evidence remains pretty unclear. After a short break we returned into the Cave at around 11pm. This is when we decided to take our investigation to a new level. James actually owns a copy of the Satanic bible (I have no idea why, he is weird!) and we wanted to do use it for an experiment. If these caves were really used for ritualistic purposes, I guess our theory was that reading from this type of bible may spike some kind of activity. We set up the spirit box on a 150 reverse sweep as James began to read from the bible. We did this for a good twenty minutes or so and not a SINGLE voice came through although with our owns ears we began to hear banging again over the top of the box. I reviewed this footage when I got home and was surprised we actually picked up what sounded like a hiss whilst James was reading from a verse in the book; the verse he read was apparently supposed to open the gates of hell(!) There was also a moment which sounded like a voice over the top of James, repeating the words he was speaking. Again, this video is available on our blog, you can actually see that I turned my torch on as I thought I saw a shadow in the corner and a few seconds after is when the camera’s audio picked up the hiss. The atmosphere changed in the cave, to the point where it almost felt as if we were no longer welcome. I heard what sounded to to my ears like kind of ‘growl’; James was convinced that something had been thrown, either a rock hitting the wall, or something banging again... Oddly I didn’t actually hear this, but lucky for us, the camera also picked this up. 58

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After the reading of the passage from the satanic bible finished, we returned to the spirit box to see if we could capture anything else. My first question was to ask if the spirits had enjoyed it when James had read from the bible and a female voice responded very clearly with the word ‘no’.

It had clearly mapped out a figure on the ceiling and it seemed to be crawling across it; it then proceeded to drop to the floor and slowly made its way towards us, crawling to our feet, it looked otherworldly and it is something I will never forget!

The entire time we were in the cave, we didn’t receive a single response until we asked that question! I was pretty impressed with that to be honest. We continued to ask questions and we received another response, again, it sounded like the same female voice as before, but much quieter this time, even rewatching the footage over and over again, I still can’t make out what is being said, but maybe you can? Please go take a look and let us know what you hear.

Now sitting in the cave, we had the SLS camera pointed towards the doorway and began to call out, asking the spirit to show itself. We did this for a while with nothing visual occurring. I panned up to the window once more where the device began to track something. It mapped in a small figure stood in the window, although it was a little odd considering it had the entire stickman form, but no head! That’s right.... the head was gone, and it wouldn’t map anything in that area at all!

We only received those two single responses the entire time, so we switched from the spirit box and decided to try out the SLS camera. I have used this before in the caves and I had one of my most terrifying experiences here around two years ago with this device.

I asked it to kick its legs up and it actually did so I got pretty excited about that, it then began to move more into the shape of the window and it seemed to dangle there for a while in a strange way, almost as if it was hanging. A few seconds passed...gone.

I’d say we had a pretty eventful night at the cave and it was great to experience things similar to what we have in the past. Any investigators or teams out there that are reading this article, we would definitely recommend you go visit the Hermit and feel the atmosphere for yourself. The Hermit’s Cave will forever be one of my most favourite finds, even if it did take us 6 hours to uncover it originally. Ha, but that’s another story! I really hope you enjoyed reading about the legend and our investigation and don’t forget to go check out the videos on our blog.

Vicky x

Until next time, happy hunting.

To check out Vicky’s blog visit

DEAD X CENTRAL https://deadcentral.blog

Above: screenshot from the SLS Camera showing the headless shape at the window.

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Being part of Haunted Magazine and working with the HauntedLIVE boys, we get through our fair share of jokes, “they’ve closed the gates to our local cemetery earlier than normal and people are dying to get in” is one that you may or may not get but it did get me thinking, hence the title of this particular feature. Ghost Hunters by their very definition hunt ghosts, seek ghosts, want to communicate with ghosts and without wanting to teach people to suck paranormal eggs, cemeteries should be full of them, shouldn’t they? Living in Nottingham I’ve been able to visit a fair few Historical and Impacting Graveyards. I seem to be drawn to them, there’s a joke about how I first met Haunted Magazine* in that Paul found me wandering aimlessly, taking photos and tip toeing through burial sites… I’m just wondering what he was doing there too It must be in us all, our love for the Paranormal and our fascination with death means that such sites may act like a magnet for our Haunted souls. There are questions I’m asked on a regular basis when I post new images of the places I frequent – ‘Have you seen anything?’ or ‘I bet that’s REALLY Haunted?’ The answer to those are normally along the lines of ‘Yes I’ve seen many things’ and ‘Maybe it is?’ Of course, I’ve seen things, I’m fortunate enough to live on the doorstep of Rock Cemetery, one of the most iconic and unique Graveyards that you could ever visit! With tombs and burial sites carved into the soft sandstone walls I’ve witnessed more beauty in death than you could ever imagine, yet are they Haunted? I still can’t be sure. Let’s take a look at some of the more well-known or common reports and sightings from around the World to help us answer this ‘Simple’ Question .

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Top 3 Reportedly Haunted GREYFRIARS KIRKYARD

Location - Edinburgh, Scotland Established - 1561-1562

The Churchyard is said to be the Most Haunted Graveyard in the UK. Burials have been taking place on the site since the late 1500s, with that much History, and its Gothic Tombs, it really is a terrifying place to visit. The site has a long History of body snatching, in the 1800s this was common place for both money and medical practices, but many reports of unrested souls and disrespect to Graves left the public wondering if it caused more harm than good? Many of Edinburgh’s elite are buried here with huge and impressive tombs, yet on cold wintery nights it has led the homeless to trespass and seek cover. There are many reports of these persons being found lifeless in the morning with the harsh Wintery conditions claiming their lives.

HOWARD STREET CEMETERY

LA RECOLETA CEMETERY

Location - Salem Massachusetts, US

Location - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Established - 1801

Established - 1822

If you’ve ever investigated the Paranormal then you would definitely have heard of Salem! Yet again this Town cannot escape its relationship and connection to witchcraft. The current Cemetery lays next to the Old Salem Jail, yet it’s Haunting goes back much further than its registered date. After being caught up in the mania that was the Salem Witch trials of 1692, Giles Corey was tortured to death by way of pressing in an Alley that now lies next to the Graveyard. The Sherriff used rocks by piling them on his chest in an attempt to make Mr Corey admit to being a witch, but he never did. With his last dying breath he is said to have put a curse on the Town, and his spirit now wanders the surrounding Jail and Burial Site.

This World-famous Cemetery lies on a former disbanded monastery and is now one of the most visited tourist destinations in Argentina. There are many reported sightings of Ghosts and related Hauntings, but the most prominent is of a young lady that died – TWICE! Yes, that’s right, Rufina Cambaceres’ body was found lifeless by her family on her 19th Birthday in 1902. After being laid to rest in La Recoleta, she woke only to find herself buried alive. She scratched at the inside of the Tomb and screamed for days but unfortunately passed away. When Cemetery staff had found that the tomb had been displaced, they discovered her tortured body and markings that told them that she was buried alive. An awful and upsetting story, her spirit is said to still Haunt these sacred grounds to this day.

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I’m sure many around the World would lay claim to having the ‘Most Haunted’ Cemetery or the most violent burial sites. They catch the imagination like nothing else, but I’m going to lay claim to our very own in Nottingham and give my reasons also. Church (Rock) Cemetery dates back to 1856 and covers around 13 acres in size. Home to many of Nottingham’s greats from former Sheriffs to Architects that shaped the City that stands today, it really is an iconic yet sometimes hidden treasure. Also hidden with it’s Sandstone banks and chilling cave system come tales of sadness and misery, no more so than the paupers and children’s graves. The first documented burial at the site was that of a 12-month-old child that passed due to contracting whooping cough. Poor sanitation in the 19th Century led to disease being rife and looking at many of the graves you can see that it impacted the young in a huge way.

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Although I have spent many an hour searching without success, there is a known documentation of a 30 ft grave that contains the remains of 25 children alone. Mass and undignified burials were common place, many of the population were poor and they couldn’t afford the high costs and privileges that came with the elite of society. Although pain and suffering would have been the main cause of their death, this location wouldn’t have been the catalyst for their Haunting, I’d find it more believable that the spirits of their parents returning for their children would be more likely, than that of the Children wandering its grounds themselves. The above shows an emotional and spiritual attachment that people may have with the site, yet more interestingly and more disturbing, the site was used for another purpose. The Cemetery lies on what I like to call a Paranormal Highway. It is flanked by Mansfield Road and Forest Road. This junction has huge significance and strength in claim to being one of Nottinghamshire’s most haunting locations. Right near to what is now the Entrance Gate to the Cemetery, used to stand Nottingham’s gallows. The exact location is debated, it would have been on flat ground and looking at the map it may even have been within the Cemetery’s Grounds. Executions took place here

with the very last to occur on the the 2nd April 1827. A man by the name of William Wells is the final recorded death by hanging, his crime of Highway Robbery was enough for him to be sentenced to death at the Old Shire Hall. His journey would have started at what is now the Justice Museum (Old Shire Hall) he would have been taken along Bridlesmith Gate, up onto High Street and directly through to Clumber Street. After leaving Clumber Street he would have been straight lined along Milton Street and onto Mansfield Road where he would have met his fate. Hangings used to be a social event where the public could see criminals face ‘Justice’ and watch on with jeers and excitement. These events were high energy occasions that would have been distressing for the person in question, yet a celebration for those harmed or effected by their actions. Lying on a junction which would have most certainly acted as a Gateway, where one specific spot lay claim to huge bursts of emotion and energy would certainly cause a Paranormal frenzy! This is the reason, and the ONLY reason that would give our famous Cemetery a justification for Hauntings. Having wandered its winding paths for many hours at a time, photographed its tranquillity and beauty, I still find it hard to believe that this location is Haunted. All I’ve ever felt here is a sense

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of calmness, a welcoming atmosphere and somewhere that I can visit to clear my mind. I find it hugely surprising that with everything I’ve said, with the sadness mixed with misery, the anger combined with hangings, that there wouldn’t be ‘something’ that resides here. I feel that whatever does frequent these grounds isn’t anything to be feared, but more something that should be experienced, and more importantly shared.

James

Is a Cemetery near you reputedly Haunted? If so, make sure go onto the Haunted Magazine & The Paranormal Facebook Group to Share your Stories and Pictures with the Community, even better if it is Nottinghamshire, go onto my Haunted Nottingham page of Facebook and share, share, share.

*HERE IS THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW HAUNTED MAGAZINE AND JAMES MET... One sunny day, I was walking through my local cemetery and I saw James kneeling by a gravestone. “Mourning?”, I said to him as I passed by, “no, I am just having a rest”. Oh, how we laughed. From that day forward, the rest is history, Paul, Haunted Magazine.

AL THE STEP BY E-STEP GUIDE TO THE PARANORM

MANNERS MAKETH MAN, MANOR MAKETH

HAUNTINGS! WITH RICHARD ESTEP

long with so many people, I first heard about Iowa’s Malvern Manor by way of Paranormal Lockdown. Leaving aside the experiences that Nick, Katrina, and the Villisca Ax Murder House’s Johnny Houser had there, I found its history to be deeply fascinating.

began to ooze blood. Inspecting it, I found a small laceration that we just couldn’t debunk; Jill hadn’t scratched her ear, would definitely have noticed if she happened to catch the side of her head on a passing surface, and had long hair that covered the ear, protecting it from scrapes and grazes.

Originally a hotel that was built to service the busy railroad network, catering to travelers and businessmen, Malvern Manor soon transitioned into being a residential care facility, housing the physically and mentally-challenged of six surrounding counties. It was often the last refuge for those unfortunate souls who were afflicted with alcoholism, drug addiction, and severe mental illness. It now sits abandoned, the domain of paranormal investigators and curious visitors.

Something apparently wanted to make its presence known, and we still had four days left to go.

Co-owner and film-maker Josh Heard is the acknowledged expert on all things Malvern Manor-related and is a fount of knowledge on the history of the place, including its structural changes, its residents...and its ghosts.

Josh gave us the grand tour, which covered both floors and the attic. In each room, we got a rundown of the resident entity (when there was one) and any paranormal activity that had been reported in there. By far the most active part of the entire place is the old nursing home wing, which is ironically the newest part. It was added on to the side of Malvern Manor in order to house patients with a range of illnesses but was shut down by the state of Iowa because it didn’t meet the legal criteria for a medical facility — for example, most of the hallways were too narrow to wheel a hospital bed down.

I spent four days investigating Malvern Manor, in the company of five members of AAPI — the American Association of Paranormal Investigators, and another in the company of resident investigators Sarah Stream and Luis Taz Cruz. We had been in the place for less than an hour when one of my colleagues, Jill, spontaneously developed a cut on her ear that

Room 7 of the nursing home wing is said to be haunted by the tragic spirit of a lady whose husband is said to have committed her there, following some sort of nervous breakdown. Convinced that he no longer thought that she was beautiful, she began to tear out her hair with her own hands, screaming inconsolably as he did so.

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She seems to prefer the company of female visitors, who tend to get better results in the form of Class A EVPs and even physical phenomena. The screaming lady definitely didn’t put in an appearance for me, but when the six of us were sitting in the middle of the hallway not too far away from her room, we all heard — and more importantly, recorded — the sound of a low moan coming from the direction of her doorway. The moan had a distinctly female quality to it, and we were unable to debunk it after searching all of the rooms and verifying that nobody else was in there with us. But the real reason that the nursing home wing has such a fearsome reputation has to do with an entity that has come to be known as the Shadow Man. This large, looming shadow figure tends to emerge from the darkness outside Room 2. He has a habit of aggressively charging at anybody who sees him, disappearing into thin air just a split-second before he would have slammed into them. Both Josh Heard and Johnny Houser have had run-ins with the Shadow Man. Both are experienced paranormal investigators, yet both turned and fled after their encounters with him. The Shadow Man’s identity may involve a former resident of Room 2, a man who 64

was said to be greatly feared by the nursing staff, according to a former employee of the Manor. She told Josh that this man was criminally insane and should really have been sent to a state-level mental institution, as he had killed two people before being taken into care. He was a tall man, completely non-verbal, but when the nurses had made their rounds and checked in on him from the doorway and turned around to walk back up the corridor, he liked to dash after them, charging up behind them as though ready to attack — and then stopping short. The parallels with the behavior exhibited by the Shadow Man are striking.

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An equally colorful character is Henry, or Hank as he often liked to be called. He was known as a cantankerous old man, who liked nothing better than to sit on the front porch of Malvern Manor and chuck stones at passing children. (When he heard that, my fellow investigator Stephen cracked, “I like him already!”) Hank’s room is up on the second floor, and still contains a number of his clothes, all folded neatly in a chest of drawers. Hank does not like women being present in his room, and the only thing he dislikes even more than that is when they touch his belongings. Hearing this, Connie took the opportunity to try on one of his flannel shirts (the rest of us were, frankly, too ‘robust’ to fit into any of his clothes). We heard footsteps walking around outside on the darkened landing at the top of the stairs, which was odd as everyone was accounted for. Then, in full view of everybody, the door to Hank’s room slowly closed itself, shutting us inside. Seconds later, Erik very

Another active hotspot is Grace’s room. Grace was an older lady who was afflicted with Multiple Personality Disorder. The nursing staff would regularly hear an array of different voices coming from her room, including one very gruff male voice that would repeat over and over again the words: The Devil’s coming to get me...

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the same woman. As my fellow investigator Jill was walking past the doorway to her room, she called out a cheery, “Hi, Grace!” Immediately, the Ovilus that Jill was holding responded with, GRACE.

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“the real reason that the nursing home wing has such a fearsome reputation has to do with an entity that has come to be known as the Shadow MaN”

distinctly felt something touch him on the elbow. It was an impressive trifecta of activity — footsteps, door, elbow — and we could all see why Hank’s room had the reputation for being haunted that it did. There is an intriguing theory that connects Malvern Manor with the Villisca Ax Murder House. Some have speculated that the person who butchered eight people in their beds that night in Villisca was a psychopathic transient, one who rode the rails from town to town, killing wherever and whenever it took their fancy. Similar murders in other cities as far-off as Colorado Springs support the idea. If there is any truth to it, then it is not at all inconceivable that the killer spent the night at the hotel which would one day become known as Malvern Manor, before carrying out the grisly deed. Johnny Houser has some strange connection to the Manor. During the Paranormal Lockdown shoot, Johnny’s name came out of the spirit box that Nick and Katrina had set up. We also got his name through our own spirit box, spoken multiple times. When I told him that, Johnny kindly agreed to phone in and try to help generate some paranormal

activity for us. I wandered the length of the nursing home wing hallway, holding my phone at arm’s length while Johnny’s voice came out of the speaker. He was sitting downstairs at the Villisca Ax Murder House at the time (he’s the caretaker, among other things), waiting for a group of visitors to arrive, and was taking some time out to talk to me. When Johnny made a reference to Malvern, there came the sound of loud banging from upstairs on the second floor of the Ax Murder House. “Well, that’s never happened before,” he deadpanned, momentarily lost for words. The spirit box had claimed that Johnny would return to Malvern Manor and sure enough, his latest TV project for The Haunted Space (https://thehaunted.space) is titled Johnny Houser vs Malvern Manor. I highly recommend giving it a look, it’s the best guided tour of Malvern Manor that you can get without actually going there yourself.

felt strongly that something dark and intimidating was pursuing them down the hallway, ultimately chasing them down the staircase, until it disappeared at somewhere around the halfway mark. A number of visiting investigators have claimed that a negative entity haunts the Manor, and we now have a name to pin on it. Shortly after Josh acquired an allegedly-haunted doll named Rosie (she likes to move around inside her glass case at night, despite being locked in Josh’s office) a voice that identified itself as ‘Number One’ began to dominate EVP recordings and spirit box sessions

Whereas I personally have all the psychic sensitivity of the average house brick, a couple of the AAPI investigators are a little more open to it than I am. Two of them, Erik and Jill, were up on the second floor and heading back downstairs when they

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“I believe that we are not dealing with the spirit of a 12-year-old girl at all. It may be another entity masquerading as Inez for its own purposes”

conducted in the Manor. All Star Trek jokes aside, Number One is an overbearing, nasty piece of work who communicates in a very nasty manner. Paranormal investigator Sarah Stream has run afoul of him several times, and on one particularly unpleasant occasion up in the attic, came away with an angry red scratch running down her back. Richard Estep’s work has featured on the TV series ‘Paranormal Investigators’ and ‘Haunted Hospitals.’ He is the author of numerous paranormal non-fiction books. His latest, ‘The Devil’s Coming to Get Me: The Haunting of Malvern Manor,’ is now available in eBook and paperback from Amazon.

No article about Malvern Manor would be complete without mentioning the sorry story of Inez Gibson. Originally, the story went that the 12-year-old Inez was found hanging in a closet upstairs on the second floor in what is still referred to as Inez’s room. Many visitors to the Manor have reported getting the name ‘Inez’ during EVP and ITC sessions, and the sound of a little girl running, and giggling is one of the more frequent happenings in the second-floor hallway. But a little historical research turned up the fact that Inez did not die at Malvern Manor at all; her death — which was officially ruled a suicide, a verdict that remains somewhat in doubt — actually occurred several streets away. Why then do so many paranormal investigators seem to encounter Inez at the Manor? I believe that we are not dealing with the spirit of a 12-yearold girl at all. It may be another entity masquerading as Inez for its own purposes, but I am reminded of the infamous “Philip Experiment” undertaken in Canada, in which a group of researchers very intentionally created a thought form, one which interacted with them during several sessions. Could it be that the tale of Inez having died at Malvern Manor was told so many times over the years that a psychic thought form of sorts has been created, one that continues to make contact with visitors to this day? To my mind, it is a much more likely explanation than the possibility that her earthbound spirit has spent the last century haunting a building which we have no proof she ever visited during her short lifetime. The origin of Inez is just one of the many mysteries which can be found within the walls of Malvern Manor, and one of the reasons why I will continue to go back and delve further in an attempt to uncover its secrets. If you happen to find yourself Stateside and in the great state of Iowa, I heartily encourage you to drop by and make up your own mind. Tell Josh that Richard sent ya...

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HAUNTED MAGAZINE ISSUE H2O CREDITS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Paul Stevenson @hauntedmagazine paul@hauntedmagazine.co.uk DESIGNER: Andy Soar @thehauntedguy andy@hauntedmagazine.co.uk WRITING TALENT: James Pykett Sam Bennetts Richard Estep Jason Fellon Vicky Grant Mike Covell Selena Wright Thomas Warrington Amanda R. Woomer Miki York Decanus Fragaria Jenna Brazel Helena Eloise Hazel Ford Jack Puttock Hubert Hobux

THANKS TO: Ghost Response Spiriteam Bambos Georgiou Mychailo Kazybrid Spook-Eats UK Haunted Barri Ghai Really Channel Kelly Phelps UKTV Andy Nyman Jeremy Dyson Rylan Clark-Neal Ashley Buckenham Alex Gibbs Richard Wolfe 5Star Neil Packer The Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre Bethany Hall Amy Canavan Lionsgate Films Georgie Rennie Kate Stote Premier Comms

Dr Queer courtesy of Bambos Georgiou (script) & Mychailo Kazybrid (art) Copyright 2017 HONOURABLE MENTIONS: *Kerrie Kershaw - creepy *Jon Graham - ghastly *Denise Williams - gruesome *Kerry Lomas – flibbertigibbet *Nick Perkins - foreboding *Mandy Fellows - spookshock

Haunted Magazine on the Web: www.hauntedmagazine.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/ HauntedDigitalMagazine www.facebook.com/ HauntedDigitalMagazine

HAUNTED MAGAZINE WILL RETURN. IN DIGITAL. IN PRINT.

For taking part in the words to be included in the editorial, go have a look (page 3) they’re all there.

#dontbenormal BE PARANORMAL

Haunted Magazine is a Dead Good Publishing Ltd Production Company Registration Number: 08446465 www. d e a dgood publ i shi ng .com