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Ghost in the churchyard

The Ghost Hunter

Afraid of ghosts? Well, one local man isn't. In fact Neil actively scours Staffordshire in search of ghosts, local ghost legends and sightings...

We'd like your views too!
Do you believe in ghosts? Please comment our messageboard further down this page, where you'll find even MORE local ghost sightings....
*************

My name is Neil and I live in Staffordshire with my wife and two sons. In my spare time, I go in search of ghosts - so I guess you could call me a 'ghosthunter'...
I also collect local ghost legends, some of which I mention here.

To those who don't know, 'ghost-hunting' is the pursuit to prove whether ghosts exist or not. I work as an engineer, so I have a scientific approach to the paranormal. My philosophy is to keep an open mind.
I was brought up to believe in spirits, and the life-force which continues to exist after we're dead. Since I can remember I have had interest and some experience with the unexplainable.

Staffordshire ghosts

Staffordshire's long past - of battles, kings and queens, and ancient feuds - has left a long line of ghosts.

  • The Ancient High House in Stafford is said to be haunted by William Mason who owned shops in the building in 1890
  • A downed American WW2 pilot is said to haunt the Shropshire Union canal near Church Eaton in mid-Staffordshire.
  • The Mermaid Inn near Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands marks a point in the moors where there are repeated sightings of a ghost in the pool
  • In a cemetery at Burslem there lies the tomb of a witch, Molly Leigh - sometimes known as Margaret or Molly Lee.

In the beginning...

But, back to me. How did I get involved?

I got actively involved after watching a paranormal TV show and bought a night-vision camcorder. On the first time of using it, I caught an "orb" on tape.
Orbs are the centre of a great debate to whether they are the beginnings of a manifestation of a spirit, or simply dust or similar particles. This is one question that I am addressing myself.

I then wondered what I could catch on film in a graveyard and again on my first attempt, caught a flying mist which could only be seen through the camera lens. But does that make it a ghost?

Equipment I use include a digital night-vision camcorder, high resolution digital camera and an audio mp3 recorder - as well as trigger objects and dowsers!

Places around Staffordshire that I've investigated include a Smallthorne graveyard in the north of Stoke-on-Trent. I've filmed localised mists there flying around, when using the nightvision (infra red) of my camera. During this activity my camera's battery was drained of 3 hours charge - a common phenomena with ghost activity.
I've also captured an audio recording (EVP) of a strange chanting or singing in the graveyard near the disused church when there was no sound at all to be heard.

Ghostly hauntings

One of the most conclusive ghost-hunts I've conducted was a house where an eerie feeling was reported. The bathroom was reportedly the centre of the problem. On entering the house, there was a feeling of oppression and it was gloomy regardless of the lighting.
The dog of this house never went upstairs, so I climbed the stairs and right in front of me was the bathroom. Already a feeling of dread came over me.

I checked out the other rooms first, then eventually entered the bathroom. There was a definite overwhelming feeling of a presence. I began to meditate and tried to make contact with the entity. I asked the spirit to prove its existence by moving a specific object that I'd placed in a defined position. I then left the room, which was entered by no-one over the next two hours.

On my return, I wasn't expecting what I saw next, the object had turned exactly 180 degrees around. The messages I got during meditation suggested that the entity was a man who had died tragically in that bathroom.

Word of warning!

Ghost-hunting certainly isn't to be taken lightly! I have brought ghosts back home with me and they've turned out to be mischievous. I have had to remove them from the house!!!
Please use the messageboard below to keep us all informed though!

WMGC

The West Midlands Ghost Club is a small select team of individuals who conduct no nonsense, pure investigations at venues which they deem to be interesting. There are no costs involved and no use of Ouija boards or mediums. Investigations are purely fact-based on what is picked up on a range of equipment.
It is also the longest running paranormal group (established in 1989) in the area and have found that since the hype of 'Most Haunted', there is great public interest!
They are currently on the search for new venues - website www.westmidlandsghostclub.com

last updated: 10/08/2009 at 10:26
created: 08/09/2005

Have Your Say

Do you believe in ghosts? ... or maybe you think it's all hokum... Do you know of Staffordshire ghosts? Tell us all!

The BBC reserves the right to edit comments submitted.

maria
hi have u heard anything about the red lion in harts hill

Bev.
I trained as a nurse at Stallington in the 70's, lived in the nursing home, worked nights sometimes and wandered around the villa's, where our residents were housed, and through the grounds after 'late nights out' and the only spooky thing I ever saw was Doctor Doyle either talking to trees or wandering lost and slightly drunk. I can confirm that the hall itself was the main admin. building although a few of the more able residents did live on a ward in the hall. As a five foot female I have to say none of the buildings or grounds ever left me feeling particularly scared, perhaps the spooky tales have grown in the telling. Although I will not deny the presence of ghosts all old, delapadated buildings can appear spooky and given Stallington's history (housed the mentally handicapped and all the tales of what happened to those poor unfortunates in the past, tales I belive that were very much exagerated,)it is not suprising that the place appears to have a haunted 'air,'for sometimes it did seem a very sad place.Far more spooky is the house where I was born and grew up in on Uttoxeter Road.

Daniel Frain
Hi Neil,I am a student at Staffordshire University studying media production. Me and my crew have been given the opportuinty of make a short documentary for a channel 4 comp called 4docs. I was wandering if at all possible you would be interested in our doc to be about you. My e-mail address is 'denirox2@hotmail.co.uk' i look forward to hearing from you shortly.Yours Truly,Daniel Frain

twonk
try the grey hound inn pub in penkull s-o-t

chris
work colleagues were returning home on dec 11th 2009 from the works xmas party. four of them plus the asian taxi driver saw an old lady in white in the road. it was approx 1.30am and everyone in the taxi saw her in the cars headlights. a few minutes behind this taxi was another colleague and her friend in another car and they too saw the same lady only they thought she looked old and appeared to be kneeling down and praying. this was along the road between five lanes end and six lanes end near draycott in the clay, in staffordshire. these colleagues work at a doctors surgery. the Sister, who incidently hadn't been drinking asked the driver to stop so they could see if the lady was alright but he was so scared, he refused to stop. when the Sister looking through the rear window, the lady had disappeared.

Darkstar
We will have our own paranormal website up and running very soon and one of our first locations will be at stallington hospital, if any of you wish to join us then please let us know =]

Angie
Has anyone else seen the victorian lady in Hollington, nr Uttoxeter?

squeels
to tamworth ghost loveryes tamworth castle is very haunted i know the castle very well and have seen and heard things that i carnt explaineother places in tamowrth arethe old monesrty at alvercote on robbies lanest edithas church in the town centrethe colin grazier hotel,the moat house and the assembely room in tamowrth town centretamowrth castle do ghost nights about once a month might be worth you looking into them

Beth
Wow -Are you what they call an 'Indigo Child' or a 'Crystal Child' by any chance?My Mum does what you do, except she doesn't hunt for them. I've been interested in this but to be honest, I an a big chicken. We've had paranormal activity at home (promptly removed by Mum). One day, I was walking ascross the landing and heard 'I'm over here!'. I told my Mum and she said my 2 yearold sister had bought it home with her. We have to watch her!When I'm older, I think I might go on a few ghost hunts. It's facinating.

ann
yes i believe in ghosts , i moved house in 1997 with in 2/3 weeks i found a grave in the garden , i now live in a pub and loads of things have happened , but i have never seen a ghost, just here them and no they are there ,,

shaun
i believe in a "ghosts biker" in stoke on trent. i saw a black "orb" in my miorrs and a "small light"

Darkstar
I've been interested in ghost hunting for years now and have been too lots of haunted places and seen alot of crazy things. I am interested in joining a local team in the stoke on trent area and have been searching for the right one but unfortunatly nothing yet, fingers crossed. If anyone knows of any teams wanting new members then please post here with details

Rachel Griffiths
i run a paranormal group based in crewe, we have a site which is just up and running, weve more to add but you may want to take a look www.spiritcheshire.co.uk

Netti Hancock
Maybe you don't believe in ghost'or maybe you do'or even in orbs'some years back I saw my grandma who had been dead for 24yrs clear as a day' and she says to me I've come for him'next day my dad died' she was his mother' my mother was heart broken to have lost him so soon he was 68yrs old'and my mother felt like ending it all to be with him'when my father appeared to me he said tell your mother ? fireplace I could not make out the full message myself and sister serched all over the fireplace but found nothing and then to our surprize my father's face appeared in the picture above the fireplace my mother felt consoled when she saw this herself' has the years have gone by my father every night gets in bed with my mum and cuddles up to her' my mother said it might seem like madness but I feel safe.my next experiance with ghost is when I was in lodgings in an old house first I could hear singing coming from the kitchen and what was once the servants quarters'and next in my flat I saw an old man with a tin cup in his hand walk into the corner of the room and then disapear I later found out their used to be a doorway there in the past.and third at my place of work all the staff have seen ghost at one time or another'I work in a Elderly home one night we were doing a night chech when we saw a Lady at the top of the corridor we asked her what the matter was she did not reply and continued round to another corridor'she then began to peep around the corner at us' when got close up we did not know her she then disapeared and all we could see were small bright orbs which disapeared into the wall'the staff that were on the check with me ran back down the corridor leaving me to finish on my own' she then showed herself to me again this time she pushed me from behind and held doors fast playing with me I think' I told her I've never done you no harm so why are you doing this to me she then left me alone and has never bothered me again' but some of my work mates still experience her presents.and lastly some 5 months ago I was on my way to bed I'd switched all the lights of was walking upstairs when the stair well lit up really bright like someone was holding a candle then I saw a man coming towards me I closed my eyes and carried on up the stairs I felt him pass me so I opened my eye,s again and a woman was coming towards me so I closed my eyes again when I finally got in my bedroom I Jumped into bed has fast I could put the covers over my head'next thing I felt someone patting my back' I admit I was a little spooked being all by myself' a couple of days later I ended up in hospital with pneumonia' so I suppose they were not trying to harm me rather warn me about what was coming my way' I am did recovering from my illness no I am not mad or suffering from illusions everything I have said is true. I BELIEVE IN "GHOSTS"

debbie
i live in dresden near to longton park and over the years have spent a lot of time in the park late at night i have to say there is definatly something in there. If your lookin i advise you to go to bottom end of the park or the bowling green by the lake ive seen some very strange shadow and heard very strange sound also once spotted a large orb near top of the clock tower well worth checkin out!!!

John Nicholson
My wife is chinese and often has encounters with the other side. They have a tradition where upon returning from an experience (funeral etc) they look into their own reflection in bowl of water placed on the door step. This must be done before entering the home to keep spirit entities at bay. Its quite chilling because of the fear to see something in the water. I dont live around Staffordshire but Im keen to document ecerything my wife and friends experience. keep up the work friend.

chaz
pamela and kat - read your say about kidsgrove 'boggart'. you seem to be interested in her and hearing some more about her. she actualy haunts the harecastle tunnel kidsgrove when you used to go through the tunnel people would hear her weeping sometimes they would see her but she was gone agian in seconds she was, it's siad, beheaded by her husband when he discovered she was having an affiar.
the same woman is siad to sit on the boat jetty at bathpool. she is siad to hold her head on her lap weeping
i lived in kidsgrove many years ago i have never seen her but know of her. me and my mates did walk to the lake in the pitch black once (we'd had a few bevvies it is an eerie place in the dark but we didnt see her. if i had i would of soon sobered up i'm sure of that

chaz
the kidsgrove boggart, the miners at the minnie pit in halmerend, the highway man elmerend, the headless dog at mow cop, the little girl at ford green hall,the boy ghost at leg o mutton kidsgrove,headless woman wardle in cheshire (she resides in the headless woman pub),2 ghosts in the 3 mile lane across from butterton lane clayton (the first walks the lane & wears a trench type black over coat and black rimmed glass's,in the same lane is a house about half a mile up the lane from the mian rd whitmore rd there is a footpath from the house to keele uni -there is a ghost in that house a grey hiared old man with old fashion half moon shaped glass's he just sits ther writing,when i saw him about 26yrs ago he just looked up at me and carried on writing at the time).

Magickay
I'm a ghost hunter also and i take part in lots of paranormal investigations. I do them all over the country but the best action i have seen has been right here in Staffordshire. Alton Towers is the most active venue i have been to, it was amazing. I think about 80% of things can be explained by science, psychology or religious beliefs but its the 20% that excites me :)

jo
hi all all my life i've been able too feel spirit but never really seen anything i only really hear. there are so many spirits in staffordshire but the place i find most active is the north staffs hospital. good hunting blessed be

Roisin
i live just down the road from stallington hall, i have been inside loads and its not haunted at all. quite a few teenagers go up there in the evenings and throw tiles and stuff off the roof, its not a ghost. but if you do plan on going up there i would be careful because some of the floors have holes in and the stairs are uneven. even so you will find it hard to get in now cause its all fenced off.

graham
i worked as a male nurse at stallington hall in 1963 as a s.e.n. stallington hall did not house the patients, the hall itself was the administration part of the hospital, matrons office, wage offic etc. the hospital wards were completely seperate, i was a night nurse on one of the wards and looked after 60 patients by myself....i have also worked on the hall part (stayed on there while the night sister did her ward rounds) the hall was very nice , sat in there by myself at 3am in the morning, no fear what so ever....there were 4 male wards.+.hospital block, childrens ward etc...i was the senior sen on nights and between 12midnight and 4an went around the ward to give the staff a 1 hour break. all the wards were seperate buildings so i had a lot of outside walking to do....were the wards haunted?..yes they were.

Martin
We have recently taken a picture of the wooded area opposite what was the the 3 tunns in Lichfield, near to Pipe Hill traffic lights. The face of a man is clearly visible in the picture, i was wondering if any activity has been reported in the specific area at all???? As i am looking for info on what we have found. Thanks

adam timmis
can anyone tell me if weston hall is haunted please

tracie mac
im sorry but you cant bring them home with u if they have been there for a hundred years why would they leave with a ghost hunter

Darren
Is it true that the staffordshire is meant to be one of the most haunted areas in the UK? Saying that I am still to see one

natalie
Can anyone let me know where i can get a night vision camera from,been afer on for ages but cant seem to get my hands on one

ju
just wondered if anyone knew any ghost `groups` or any buildings to visit in stoke on trent, or surrounding areas that are haunted, woods, pubs, etc. would love to hear any tales etc, and maybe do a bit of research and exploring.thanks.

Katie
My nan has worked in a pretty spooky hospital before! Cannock hospital! Don't know wether some of you have heard of it before but i think thats meant to be haunted

James
i used to work in the Minton Holiins building in Stoke. on one particular row of computers myself and many other people have had the impression of someone walking behind them and even stopping. many people have been know to turn around to chat only to find no-one stood there!

Suzanne Harris
Hi Neil and others,I am an author, originally from Hednesford, and have been asked to write a book on the hauntings of Staffordshire. I am looking for authentic ghost tales, specifically of places people can go 'ghost-hunting'. Would any of you be willing to subit stories that I can research and use?Thanks!Suziewww.suzanneharris.co.uk

neil
the hair castle tunnel isnt haunted it is the tunnel next to it that is the one bared up

Claire Kirk
Does anyone know of any paranormal groups in Uttoxeter area?

John Beasley
Could anybody please give me more detailed directions to St Margarets Chapel ruins near Norton in Hales, I'm having a bit of trouble finding them, thank you

Lisa Chadwick
Do you know anything about the hauntings at Heath House, Whitmore? Just out of interest. Thanks.

Finn
Pauline, I saw your post further below. You described the feeling of being paralysed when awakening from sleep. There is nothing paranormal about that, it's called sleep-paralysis. What happens basically is that when you are in deep sleep (REM), your body is paralysed. Sometimes you may wake up before the paralysis has ended.And regarding the man you saw next to your bed, I've had similar experiences - once I saw a boy and a girl dancing next to my bed, and once I saw a sweet girl backing away from me as I woke up. Although I don't rule out the possibility of ghosts, I believe them to be nothing but my own imagination. I'm guessing they were part of some dream that just got mixed with my room when I opened my eyes. If they were ghosts, why would they disappear when I awakened? About the sockets being plugged back in, well I don't know. Perhaps you do have a ghost. But, don't just give it credit for every strange thing that happens. :)

tracy g stoke ex vic barmaid (1998-2001)
i used to work in the victoria hotel in stoke (fletcher road) and was told about a workman who died during working on decorating inside . apparently every thursday payday he always hve 2 pints ofbest and on ordering his 2nd pint would bang his glass on the bar ,well after he died he still hold tradition evey thur about 10 past 1 many a bar made has heard this bang not on anyother day just a thur and allways in the same spot not all of us bar wenches can be imagning it .or does our ghostly workman still likes a lunchbreak pint lets hope eh

jim evans
please contact me www.stokehauntedpi.co.uk

Amanda
Hi there , I have a question relating to the bit where you explain that you bring spirit people home with you. I wont tell you my story until i hear back from you but my question is this , ?? Is it possible to will a spirit into your home ? I saw a small girl child in our home on more than 1 occassion recently and she is still here.There must be some truths in it as when i got her name she told me the year that she had died and her age and the area that she had then lived in . i wrote these down thinking it was a load of rubbish and nothing would come from it . i strike that as shortly after i thought that i would take a look at the deaths for that year, that the spirit child had given to me and i nearly fell off my chair . there it was a death listed with the same name the little child had given to me and the area was the same too and her age , she likes to copy my children and i think that she is a very pretty and lonely little girl who due to her age at the time was at an age where she copies older children and too small to no much of anything herself . .. i did dig a little deeper as to what the child had died of and even that was the same as she told me . all of this may sound rubbish to you but i am honestly telling you the truth , i do not see the point in lieing ,you see, as i would only be cheating myself and nobody else . please could you let me no if it was me who got her here, how else could she have ended up here . i have her on a photo as plain as day and the child i saw was identical ,when i asked the spirit she told me i had got her here ,even my children and husband have heard her . thank you for your time . please try to reply as i do wonder quite often as to how strange the whole thing is. Amanda

Izzibella
I think it is silly. Ghosts are not real.

k
kibblestone camp is haunted there were loads of strange things goin on there we stayed there for 3 days i wont even drive past now. we walked past the hall n there was a woman standing there all dressed in white she walked straight through a fence n down into the woods i thoght i was going mad but i wasent the only one to see her

kathy
i was doing a vigil with my paranormal investigatiuon team and we came across some very interesting discoverys whislt in the swan inn in hanford.

clare
id like to see for myself. but dont know anywhere that you can actually get into. i know that little morton hall is haunted at night,but you can only get so far into the grounds, id love to go on a mission or stay somewhere that is haunted.

Leanne Hodgkinson
I live in Rocester, in a an old farm house called churnet farm, we have noticed alot of spooky goings on, like hearing balls bouncing in the middle of the night! we were told that a little boy and a young woman died in the house and we would like to know more.

Nicholas Duffy
Hiya - The West Midlands ghost Club is always on the look-out for accounts of (true) paranormal experiences within the West Mids, Staffordshire, Shrposhire and immediate surrounding areas.If you have any stories that you qwould like to share, please do get in touch with us via our web site. www.westmidlandsghostclub.com

Daz
Hi there i believe stallington hall near blythe bridge there could be sightings of ghosts in there apparently a long time ago over 50 years ago ago it used to be where people with mental health issues used to be cared for and apparently were killed or executed.but having been there with friends its proper spooky.

pamela booth
I heard the story of Molly Leigh and the Kidsgrove Bogart told at Ford Green Hall in 1994 by Philip Leese and he was very effective and scary is thier any scientific evidence regarding the Kidsgrove Legend

Zo n Saz
Wel i just want to say we have seen a ghost down the german cemetry in cannock chase. it was about 2 am one morning while in our car. has anyone else seen any ghosts or strange happenings down there. a mate of mine has also said he got chased out of ther in hes car by a ghost. we have seen a women with flowing brown hair and she was wearing black. she also had a distinctive smell.

Mark Lunn
i think ghosts and hauntings are hocos pocus, and why donna and her group do it is beyond me

Sally
I do beleive in ghosts. My dad died 20 years ago. Even though he hasn't appeared as a ghostly figure, I am sure he has been with me in some form. I think the most strongest was when my husband and I were in Chester cathedral and it felt as if someone sat down between us, even though there wasn't anybody else with us. Thanks Dad.

ghost-talker
hi i am 14 and love the ghost world. my house has a ghost of a girl that i have named emily and a cat i have named whiskers. i also have an unusual ghostthat is a trianchula. i am obsessed with ghosts and love the art of mediums and i find it upsetting that you have to be 18 to go and see a medium. i was wondering if i could be told why this is. I watch most haunted everynight and sometimes watch haunted homes. I wonder why people have professionalsd in to get rid of their ghosts because my ghosts dont pose too much of an issue and i like them staying in my house. please can i have any medium's number or contacts or anyone that can have contact with the unknown and the supernatural. thanks liz

Alan
Staffordshire as a whole appears to be one of the most haunted areas of the UK. Quite a few people have mentioned strange goings on at the old Mental Hospital at Stallington but ive also heard of many strange things happening at the site of the hospital at Cheddleton. Thinking of the awful mental sufferings that have occured at these site's it doesnt suprise me that the area's are drenched in paranormal activity. Being a Leek lad We are well aware that our little town has more than its fair share of Ghostly activity. There seems to be a strong link between the natural geology of the sandstone of Leek and its past. The areas around the Town centre are reknowned for things going bump in the night and under the surface of Leek the many springs and streams again seem to have been able to record mysterious happenings from the past and then play them back to People who have the right psychic recieving equipment. St Edwards street used to be known as Spout street and at the top stands the great Old Church of St Edwards which also had a spring, and this whole area is Very Active. Having read the comments of Staffie about Alton Towers I remember a good friend of mine now in his 50's who had as a teenager worked at the Towers. One dusk as he was about to leave for home he glanced back at the Towers to see it lit up as it may well have been a hundred years or so ago. He then heard a scream and a splash but no ripples were to be seen in the pond. He rushed home and the next day when he told his foreman of what he had seen and heard he was told that many years ago a woman had commited suicide by drowning in the pond. There are more things in heaven and earth than we can dream about.

R.P
I live in Little Haywood and in my life time i have visited many old and eerie places. When i was young the hotspot for kids to mess around was the old St Georges lunatic asylum. We explored the whold building and all of the creepy bits and i have to say i never experienced anything there. I also worked at Shugborough for a short time and again...nothing. My friend currently lives in the white houses just over essex bridge which used to belong to the employees of the Shugborough estate. I am at that house a lot and both of us agree that there isn't any activity. I myself have a normal house near the post office about 50 years old or something and it is quite a different story. As a child i have heard thundering footsteps running up the stairs only to open the door expecting my dad and there being nothing but darkness. I have experienced uexplained cold spots over my bed about 3 days after family members have died (quite a few unfortunately)quite recently i went to a night vigil in Derby Gaol with the celebrity of Most Haunted Richard Felix. I experienced double takes, clanking of chains, which only me and my friend heard (we put this down to hidden speakers but you never know) in a seance a few personal details to which only i knew about came up when she was contacting someone described strangely similar to my grandad ( of course i said nothing for her to play on) when helping Richard clear up for the night alone in the room, which was used as the place where they said goodbye to their family before being hanged, there was a terrible smell of sulphur (bad eggs) of which i have heard to be a smell of negative energy. Put it this way i rushed away from the area after making a week attempt at calling out. Since that night i have felt more uneasy than usual in my bedroom and more recently i have heard a women scream and a man shout for help. It sounded as though it was loud but through an earphone so it was quiet at the same time? i got up both times to find my amp on and my earphones plugged into it. Put it this way...i am twenty and terrified of my own room! i wear earplugs to bed to prevent myself from hearing things. I am due to attend another ghost vigil at dudley castle soon...wish me luck!

Sandra (Australia)..replying to Claire, Rachel and
CLAIRE....thanks for the info about the Flats Road farm, its interesting that the owner's dog gets distressed at the farm, as the previous owners had the same trouble with their dogs when they took them up there. RACHEL, just to let you know that whenever I 'sensed' or saw the ghost at Flats Road Farm I also had the strong smell of pipe smoke, maybe your visitor has wandered up from the farm to spend some time with you and your family. I really don't think that he means anyone any harm, he is just a lost soul I think that hasn't yet seen the light. CHRIS-TUNSTALL...sorry but Molly's house was demolished in 1894, and there is no sign of it ever being there unfortunately.

Charlie
Longton Hall Rd, Longton is said to be haunted by a lady in white.

debbie
i am trying to research hauntings in talke, at the swan public house and swan cottage.

Chris
I live in front of Stallington Hall or Stallington Hospital, i do get eerie feelings. Even though i live there though i have not yet to date seen anything! But the best place to go ghost hunting is actually Dilhorn Grave Yard, i used to go there years ago when i was growing up. We scared ourselves that much i have never returned at night. I have driven through Dilhorn at speed and generally in the day, but even then i get bad feelings in my stomach. If you do go there,do not go alone, drive there and park the car on the Pub Car Park then walk together, take a torch & plenty of batteries!!!

donna brandley
i am open minded and believe although i am yet to see i could do with your help though if it is possible. I went with a friend to look at a new house in stallington and there was a closed down hospital there called stallington hall. Now i know you are going to think i am crazy i went in not to look at ghost or to serch just out of intrest it used to be an asylum i just wanted to see what it looked like . So outside the building it was normal british weather and all snow around theback entrance which i thought was strange there was also 2 dead foxes by the back entrance and a black bird which i also found strange anyhow still went in it was getting very dark and a mess in there floorboards seemed to be smoke damaged and it wasnt really safe to enter upstairs but when i was in there i didnt feel like me i felt cold void empty if must be i was like a robot and when i left there i was like that until the nxt day only then that i realised somthing wasnt right i didnt go in looking for spirits i went in to be noesy really. That isnt all though 2 nights after i had a dream about a girl who looked like a downsyndrome and she was shacked to a wall in a room the room want like any i had seen i tried to undo the shackes to free the crying girl and i herd a noise from behind so i turned to see and when i turned back the girl wasnt there but she was laughing in an echo i got up an ran through a blue door as i did i left the building turned round and looked and it was stallington hall you may find this stupid it could have bin somthing playing on my mind although i attended the hall 7 months ago i have had 6 dreams so far i feel somthing is wrong please could you share your knowlege with me about the hall if you know any or have been b4 many thanks.

Jemma Whittock
Ouija boards are NOT a good idea, they cause more harm than good, even if your a medium, DONT give it ago!

Mike Gatting
For years I'd heard about the Owlman. A man whowas pecked to death by the owls that he used to feed with dead mice. He was then eaten by rodents in a churchyard in Norton. It was said that his ghost appeared with no pupils in his eyes, could turn his head 360 Degrees and leapt, like a gymnast, from tree to tree in the churchyard. Reports from excorcists sugested he more closely resembled a duck, a golden one at that.

greg
westcliffe hostpital in chell is supposed to be very haunted as are the new houses opposite as they are built on some old paupers graves

Rose Gibson
I have this major interest in Ghosts but has anybody thought that Hauntings and the sort could just be simple time-slips? And also spirits that can not move on or are just a memory can not hurt people. It is forbidden, or so i believe. However i have been trying to find out whether there are any hauntings around here other than the ones already pointed out....Are there any more??

Peter O'Rourke, Stoke-on-Trent
Just out of interest - has anyone ever heard of a "ghostly" aeroplane, silent and pitch black in appearance, being seen from Top Road over Biddulph Moor? A friend of mine witnessed such a "ghost plane" travelling downwards at an angle of nearly 45 degrees and apparently crashing (out of sight) in the vicinity of the park at Biddulph Moor. No smoke was seen or sounds heard, just the plane passing below a ridge at an extremely steep angle that seemed near-impossible to pull out of.

SeYeUK
I have a picture of what I think is a ghost at mow cop castle, it wa taken on a mobile phone, yes the picture has glare from the sun but there is like a blue fog on the bottom half of the picture with, from what i can gather is a old man with a beard in some stocks. (Unfortunately the BBC cannot publish personal email addresses or contact details).

claire. message for sandra
hi. flatts farm is still standing, and is used and lived in at this present time. im a courier and used to deliver parcels to the owners of the farm. i must addmit the farm is very uninviting. they have a dog who is constantly tied up outside and never stops barking. i asked the owner if the dog was destressed because i was a stranger on the property, and she assured me that i had not upset him, and that the dog had gone mad since moving to the farm. claire

Dan Lewis
For an interesting an scary experience i would recommend the old ruin of St Margarets Chapel, near Norton in Hales. Legend has it, that the old Chapel became invovled with evil doings from the 17th Century, when it was run by a priest by by the name of Father De-Mellor. Sacrifices of the most horrid nature were common place and when the common people of the surrounding land become apparent to this, they burnt the chapel down with Father De-Mellor locked in the crypt. His remains were never found and locals nowadays tell of an active evil spirit entity that stil exists around the chapel today. I have personally vistied the chapel, of what remains there are and can sense an air of evil presence. Locals also state that when walking their dogs, they quicklyretreat and begin barking at apparently nothing. This place is definately worth a look and the old crypt still can be accessed, but few ever dare. Be warned, though of the old priest Father De-Mellor.

Dan Lewis
Sandra Sanders - orbs are not visible to the naked eye; it was not an orb you saw, but perhaps a big fly.

Craig Addison
Hi Neil, I live in Norton Canes, not far from Cannock and we have a beautiful old church. As you enter the church yard from the front there are a few grave stones dotted about, but almost right infront of you is a grave stone with no markings other than a skull and cross bones, there are lots of local stories surrounding the stone, visions, ghosts cold feelings etc, ive kind of investigated it and cant really get any info. Might be worth a bit of your time to help solve a local mystery. Oh and I do believe in ghosts, have seen one with my own eyes. I am also an engineer and will not except reasons without proof (scietific minds, they are to analytical)

Mark Tiso
I live near Sinai House in Burton on Trent and it is haunted by a white lady lady and monks.

Sandra Sanders
In Newcastle Christian Spiritualiost Church I actually saw an Orb it was yellow in colour with what looked liked a grey vein running through it as it was spinning that orb was spinning round in front of me.

Tamworth ghost lover
Tamworth medieval castle is reputedly haunted by two female ghosts: the founder of Polesworth Abbey; and the lover of Sir Tarquin, who saw him slain by Sir Lancelot (of Arthurian fame) on the water meadows below the battlements.
Fright Night Ghost Vigils until 2.00am have been held on a regular basis there

Scriv
Scriv
I am having problems with the ghost at home at the moment. On 3 separate mornings now something odd has happened and I am 99% sure its not me. Here is what's happened so far: On Sunday morning I got up and realised it was dark in the kitchen, hall and lounge because all the curtains had been closed downstairs. There was only me and macca in the house and neither of us closed them before going to sleep? On Sunday night i turned off all the lights before going to bed and when i got up in the morning the lights in the hall where turned on. The ones next to that unit with ornaments on it that I never turn on? Last night i experimented to see if i am imagining things. I made sure 100% that I turned off all the lights before going to bed, and guess what. This morning, the upstairs light was turned on? Also when I am in bed the floor joists in mum n dads room creak like someone is up there but their door is locked? They also creak in Aimee's old room when I am in the lounge? Its quite bizarre.

danii
i would like to know if mermaids exist

Sandra (Australia)
Zoe and Kendra, the experiences that I had at Flats Road farm were disturbing to say the least! As you are probably aware, no-one actually lives on the farm property, the farmers live elsewhere, well this is going back to 1977, so it may be different now. One night, just as it was going dark,I was feeding my horses at the front of the pig-sty, my boyfriend and I were sitting in the car with the headlights on facing the pig-sty, when all of a sudden my horses threw their heads up and started jumping around, and we heard the pigs squealing, so we got out of the car and went to the horses, and they were so nervous that I had to untie them and they ran back to the paddock gate. All of a sudden we saw this misty 'form' coming up the side path from the smaller field, then it sort of went down on the ground and disappeared through the side of the pig-sty. I ran and put the horses back in the paddock and we left as quick as we could. A week or two later, a friend asked if she could use my stable as her horse was about to foal and she was planning on staying the night with her. I never mentioned what I had witnessed because of scaring her, and also because I was not too sure of what it was I had witnessed. Anyway a few days later I noticed that her horse was not on the property, so I went down to her house to see if everything was ok, well she said that she had moved her horse out as she had had a frightning experience and will never set foot on the farm again. She told me that she had stayed the night in the stable, and during the night she was awoken by her horse knocking over the tin water bucket, so she got the bucket and walked over to the tap that was at the side of the pig-sty, and she said that she felt someone was watching her, so she turned around and came face to face with an old man who looked so sad, then before her eyes he vanished into thin air! She threw the bucket aside and ran all the way home. So this confirmed for me that I was not just seeing things the night that I saw the misty form, and when I asked the farmer later why he never seemed to be at the farm at night, he told me that he wouldnt go there as he had seen things that he couldnt explain. There is also a story of a white horse that has been seen in the paddock that apparently died there in a freak accident, but I cannot say that I had ever seen it.
All this happened 28 years ago when I lived in Norton, so I dont know if the farm is still there, or if the owners are still the same, but if anyone has any more info on it I would greatly appreciate it...
Thanks....San

damien
no one has mentioned the "kidsgrove boggart" - a woman who had her head chopped off in the harecastle tunnel at hardings wood, kidsgrove.
well, my mother giselle has a canal boat and we are cruising thro the harecastle tunnel next week. it's not the old original tunnel but next to it. i ve seen a few ghosts and looking forward to the cruise. my

carol arnall
Hi, I collect and publish ghost stories but do not believe that an orb could possibly be a ghost! If a ghost is going to show itself it will and certainly would not come via an orb. You do not need (in my opinion) special equipment to track a ghost down; if you are receptive enough and a ghost/spirit wants you to 'see' them then you will. Orbs are nothing but particles of dust as yet I have never read or heard of any orb materialising into a ghost. Thanks for an interesting web site. Carol

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