As you can see, this website has been neglected in recent years but I am pleased to say an update is on the cards due to a renewed interest in all things Haunted Harborough! I am always surprised when a flurry of activity occurs online from people who discuss my book and dvd in a positive manner and ask if both are still available. The good news is that copies of the DVD are still being sold each year and I am now thinking of revisiting the subject as an update to both book and film to respond to that demand. If you have any spooky tales yourself, please email me so that I may include them in my research/investigations.
Thank you…
I had a few ‘fans’ pop in during my book signing with books they had already read but wanted me to sign. Firstly, I didn’t realise I had any fans so much appreciated.
One ‘fan’ in particular brought in a well thumbed edition he had read 6 times! He went on to say, …”by far, one of the best books I have read. The only bad thing is that there aren’t any more.”
He went on to add more complimentary comments about particular parts of the book and my honesty in the way it was written. Very much appreciated. Thank you.
Jubilee Gardens ghost
At my recent signing event, I was approached by a couple claiming their house was haunted. The husband showed me a photo of his wife’s neck after she was supposedly throttled by an unseen force. The pic showed three distinct ‘burns’ in the form of three parallel rings around her neck and throat. If you are those people from Jubilee Gardens, and would like to tell me more, please contact me by email. Thanks.
Most Haunted Live…
Having seen the latest ‘Most Haunted Live’ I felt I needed to remind people that this programme is primarily created for entertainment purposes and not a credible investigation. On most vigils, nothing happens for at least 90% of the time and the other 10% is usually inconclusive – mostly due to how controlled the environment is. This of course, would be boring television. Audiences would be lost and most importantly, revenue.
It is important to remember that if you are serious about finding proof of the existence of ghosts, you have to discount all other possible explanations first before jumping on the paranormal bandwagon. My questions regarding Most Haunted Live (don’t get me wrong, I was a fan) are ones that an archeologist may ponder, having a film crew trample all over his precious site! For instance:
- In the ‘table lifting’ instance, why on Earth would you drape a table cloth over it? Perhaps to hide what is going on underneath? Surely, a camera under the table would have been a better option in order to provide proof of paranormal activity and not human intervention?
- How did the knife get into the bedroom? I will tell you. Karl pocketed it when pretending to place it in a locked box*. Notice how the camera swung away from him at the moment he was about to close the box? The knife was never in there.
- Also, how many times does the producer/director cut back to the studio just as something exciting is happening? Could this be for ‘safety’ in case the audience see something they shouldn’t? They can always edit it quickly and re-run later. Don’t forget, we are also coming to a commercial break, so ending on a semi-climax would ensure you kept watching afterward. Thank Thomas Hardy/Charles Dickens’ ‘cliffhanger’ for that! The programme to a degree MUST be planned and choreographed due to these ad breaks.
- Karl being pulled up the stairs? We all saw the rope in the slo-mo. Camera cable? What camera? Maybe they had forgotten that the night vision camera would make the cable stand out so much. No coincidence that Karl and Stuart argued in order for him to storm out, possibly to remove his rope harness. as for the red marks, I used to use that technique for getting off school. Pinch my cheeks for a few minutes to make them red so that my Mum thought I was ill!
- Moving ping-pong balls? Why leave the door open? Anyone with a pea shooter and a good set of lungs could cause that. However, the balls moving in the opposite direction is harder to explain without examining the room. If you arrange that sort of experiment, you seal the room and eliminate draughts.
All in all, it is a shame that most things are staged**. American versions of the series all carry a disclaimer that states that the programme is for entertainment purposes only. I so much WANT to believe in the show but sadly, a lot of what I see is so transparently engineered. Lets face it, no-one wants to go to a birthday party with no games or cake!
*All views are my personal opinions and not a statement of fact. **Ditto.
Harborough Halloween event
Just wanted to say thanks to all of those who popped along last saturday and to those who chatted about their own ecncounters with the supernatural! Especially pleased with those who brought their own copies of my book for me to sign. I didn’t realise I had fans, so thank you for that!
A big thanks to organisers, Sofi and Alistair, who spent a lot of time and effort in creating a magical environment for the children and parents who came dressed in Halloween costume.
Harborough Halloween event!
Council Offices
Quite a few people have asked me if I have heard anything about hauntings at the council offices….after a bit of poking around, I understand that witnesses claim to have seen the ghost of a girl on a staircase. This is linked to a suicide there years ago and also the image of a man in a tall black hat. If anyone knows of any other details, please let me know. Thanks.
Interview on HFM
I will be appearing on local radio station HFM on Halloween night thanks to presenter Owen Brookes. Catch me amidst all the scary themed music he will be playing. Also appearing is James Carpenter who organises the annual ghost walks around the town, originally based on my book and film but now with other locations added.
New spooks incidents
Another person has contacted me regarding strange goings on in an office on St. Mary’s Road, ‘Lighter Life’ to be exact. Stay tuned for more info.
Apparition spotted in Rushden
I have just been contacted by someone who was frightened by the apparition of a man pointing a finger at him! It occured in a house in Rushden. Stay tuned for more details as I get them.