Paranormal Magazine

EXTRAORDINARY CCTV footage has captured the ghost of a small child darting across a busy shopping centre.

The shadowy spirit glides in between oblivious shoppers in the eerily clear video.

The 2ft tall floating phantom figure appears in the bottom right of the screen after a male shopper exits a room to the top left.

It makes its way across the busy concourse and seems to head for the same door the man has just passed through.

The amazing 36-second tape was taken in a shopping mall in Chile, South America, and surfaced on the internet today.

It is alleged that the tiny greyish phenomenon is the ghost of a small local boy.

[via thesun.co.uk, Vince Soodin]

BBC journalist Chris Sandys has said he is at a loss to explain a mystery apparition that appeared on a photo.

Mr Sandys, 30, was photographing at the reputedly haunted Edward Jenner Museum in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, and captured the image on his camera.

“It was a bizarre formation of light showing a mystery figure in a doorway,” he said. “I am sure it was not caused by sunlight or dust in the air.

“I checked again and looked in the doorway but I could see nothing.”

He went on: “As a BBC employee I wouldn’t dare doctor an image or I would lose my job.”

Mr Sandys, who works for BBC Gloucestershire’s website, was photographing in an attic never before opened to the public.

Museum director Sarah Parker said: “We are truly flabbergasted by the image.

“We have graffiti from soldiers previously billeted in the attic rooms from the 19th and 20th Century and perhaps this is one of them or even one of Jenner’s servants.

“We have always thought of the ‘ghosts’ as being metaphoric, but maybe we need to think again.”

The museum is dedicated to Dr Jenner, who lived in the house from 1785-1823.

It was from the Grade II listed building that he pioneered his world-changing vaccination against smallpox.

[via BBC news Gloucestershire]

Those who die at sea might never leave the water — body or soul. And if they’re still there, perhaps haunting the reefs and shipwrecks where they perished, Paranormal Divers aims to find them.

The Cape Coral-based company is preparing for a summer of ghost-hunting in Bay area waters, with investigations of the Gunsmoke, a shrimp trawler that mysteriously sank with a cargo of marijuana 14 miles west of Egmont Key in 1977; the Blackthorn, a Coast Guard buoy tender that collided with a freighter in 1980, killing 23 seamen; and the waters beneath the old Sunshine Skyway, where 35 people died after a freighter rammed the bridge in ‘80.

“We pick a wreck that has some potentially haunted history and then we check it out,” says Lee Ehrlich, president of Ghost Pros Paranormal Inc.

The company films its search and sells the videos, which weave in the story of the site — fact and lore — and the Paranormal Divers’ experience.

“We look for the stories, the romance,” Ehrlich says. “We’re putting the ghost back in the ghost ship.”

At each site, the dive team first sets up sonar drones to record the underwater sounds. The recordings are analyzed “to determine what sounds you are not suppose to hear … possibly sounds of the paranormal,” Ehrlich says.

To capture the sights, Paranormal Divers has teamed with Tampa-based SeaViewer Underwater Video Systems, whose clients include The Discovery Channel, NOAA’s National Weather Service, The Army Engineers and ESPN. SeaViewer’s high-definition studio cameras were used to film scenes in the Russell Crowe movie “Master and Commander”.

Once all the recorded data is collected, Ghost Pros will plan a nighttime excursion. At the Gunsmoke, Ehrlich says, divers will thoroughly explore the wreckage.

“What makes the Gunsmoke compelling is nobody knows what happened,”he says.

The trawler was found abandoned and sinking in January 1977, according to news accounts. Ehrlich says two people disappeared.

“We want to go into that ship, really see what’s in there,” he says.

The divers will also watch for the telltale glow of bioluminescence light forms and listen for unusual sounds.

Ehrlich says he’s not trying to convince anyone of paranormal activity.

“We offer our evidence in good-faith for both Scientific (as applicable) and Entertainment value, and it is up to the viewer to believe what he or she feels is the truth,” according to a disclaimer at http://www.ghostpros.com.

But the sites Ghost Pros explores are rich in lore, and the explorations are fascinating, Ehrlich says.

“If you were to die in some strange setting,“ he says, “wouldn’t you want to know that someone was looking for you?”

[via scnow.com, by Gayle Guyardo]

Hans Holzer, Ghost Hunter

26/1/1920 - 26/4/2009

HANS Holzer, whose investigations into the paranormal took him to haunted houses all over the world, most notably the Long Island house that inspired The Amityville Horror, has died at his home in Manhattan. He was 89.

Holzer wrote more than 140 books on ghosts, the afterlife, witchcraft, extraterrestrial beings and other phenomena associated with the realm he called “the other side”. He conducted his most famous investigation with the medium Ethel Johnson-Meyers in 1977; they roamed the house in Amityville, in which a young man, Ronald DeFeo, had murdered his parents and four siblings in 1974.

The house had become notorious after its next owners claimed to have been tormented by a series of noises and eerie visitations, set out in the best-selling 1977 book The Amityville Horror: A True Story, written by Jay Anson.

After Johnson-Meyers channelled the spirit of a Shinnecock Indian chief, who said that the house stood on an ancient Indian burial ground, Holzer took photographs of bullet holes from the 1974 murders in which mysterious halos appeared.

Holzer went on to write a non-fiction book about the house, Murder in Amityville (1979), which formed the basis for the 1982 film Amityville II: The Possession; he also wrote two novels, The Amityville Curse (1981) and The Secret of Amityville (1985).

[William Grimes, New York Times via www.theage.com.au]

It’s not quite a haunted house but this plot of land at Boleskine Bay, on Loch Ness in Scotland carries a sinister past.

It was once owned by the “Beast of Boleskine”, occultist Aleister Crowley. Crowley, an author, mountaineer and practitioner of the black arts, owned the Boleskine Estate between 1899 and 1913. The estate was the focus for many of Crowley’s occult activities and experiments. His house later became the home of guitar player Jimmy Page.

The Guardian quotes a real estate agent from Strutt and Parker which says that there has been interest in the 1.9-acre plot of land because of the Crowley connection. Crowley’s home is owned by different people but this plot of land has been in the same family for 40 years. The land has 140 feet of the Loch Ness foreshore and planning permission for a three-bedroom log house. It is listed for £176,000.

[Deidre Woollard, Luxist]

An eerie image of a figure in period costume at a Scottish castle has spooked experts conducting the biggest ever investigation into photographic evidence for ghosts.

The picture, taken in May 2008, appears to show a man or woman in a ruff peering out of a barred window at Tantallon Castle.

No mannequins or costumed guides are employed at the castle, and three photographic experts have confirmed that no digital trickery was used on the photo.

Even confirmed ghost sceptic Professor Richard Wiseman, who led the study, admitted to being puzzled.

“It is certainly very curious,” he said. “We ran it by three photographic experts and they said it hadn’t been Photoshopped at all.

“The figure appears to be in period costume, but we know 100% that Tantallon Castle is not the sort of place that has dummies or costumed guides; they just don’t go in for that sort of thing.

“I suppose it could be a visitor looking a little bit strange. Perhaps someone will come forward. Another possibility is an odd reflection of sunlight, but it does look very like a person. The explanation is not obvious.”

Tantallon Castle, a ruined fortress dating back to the 14th century, stands on a remote rocky headland near North Berwick on the Scottish east coast. It was badly damaged in an attack by Oliver Cromwell’s forces in 1651.

Christopher Aitchison, who took the photo, said: “I was not aware of anyone, or anything, being present in my picture, only noticing the anomaly when I got home.

“Staff have verified that there were no sinister dummies in period costume or historical re-enactments going on that day at the castle. I did not notice any nice old ladies wearing ruffs walking around the stairs! Some people have suggested its just light reflecting on rocks and one person suggested it may be King James V of Scotland.”

Psychologist Prof Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, who has made many studies of the supernatural, launched the investigation a month ago.

Members of the public were asked to submit ghostly images for experts to analyse, the best of which were posted on the website www.scienceofhauntings.com.

More than 250 pictures were received from all over the world and more than a quarter of a million people voted for what they considered to be the most convincing photos.

[via]

This ghostly figure was snapped by a holidaymaker on the moors of North Yorkshire - and experts think the eerie photo is genuine.

Unsuspecting Colin Foster, 34, aimed his new digital camera at the winter scenery during a trip earlier this year, not spotting anything unusual until he returned home from his backpacking tour and began checking the photos he had taken.

Colin said: “My girlfriend and I were looking through them when she grabbed my hand and said, ‘Stop’.

“She insisted I zoom in on one particular picture. At first I didn’t see it — but, as we zoomed in, we just turned to each other with our mouths agape.”

Colin, of Wordsley, West Mids, added: “At the time I took the photo I did feel like I was being watched, but I just put that down to how remote and lonely the place was.

“All my friends and family are scratching their heads in awe.”

TV medium Craig Hamilton-Parker said: “I have checked it over for cheating, but it has none of the tell-tale signs of photo manipulating.

“The exact human shape leads me to say, ‘Yes, this is a real supernatural snap’. The Yorkshire Moors are renowned for their ghosts.”

Nick Thurston, of the UK British Paranormal Association, said: “This image is extremely clear and is certainly that of a spirit manifestation of a full human figure.”

UKBPA vice chairman Clint Symonds said: “This is one of those pictures that makes you sit up and say wow. But obviously it is also a picture that needs deep examination.

“It is so easy these days to fool the public with paranormal phenomena due to modern software.”

[via]

The Sci Fi Channel show “Ghost Hunters” went to Somerville last month to investigate reports of haints and haunts at the Sacco’s bowling alley, Boston.

There have been numerous reports of mysterious events and happenings taking place in the aging alley.

Since opening its doors in 1939, more seems to take place there than boowling and socialising.

Many of the employees have heard strange noises ranging from footprints to idle pins toppling. Some have seen unexplained shadows moving past, electrical equipment turning on and off by themselves, and a previous worker there felt something brush his neck, prompting him to quit o the spot.

Some take the bizarre happenings with a pinch of salt, but enough has gone on there to prompt an investigation by the Ghost Hunters

Comedian/historian Jimmy Del Ponte gave the Ghost Hunters several possible explanations. Maybe it was Minnesota Fats, angry because a Somerville man once beat the famed pool player at his own game at Sacco’s billiards room. Rumor said a habitué of an after-hours club next door was murdered, though not at the lanes.

It could even be his own sister, Del Ponte thought: She’d had run-ins with a Sacco’s employee before her death, in 1992.

Somerville city spokesman Tom Champion tried to focus the attention across the river: He’d expect “Sammy White’s Brighton Bowl would be the locus” of paranormal practices in Boston, he said. Four employees were murdered there in 1980; a Somerville cabbie was convicted.

The mystery may remain unsolved. In the end, the Ghost Hunters sat Damon Sacco down and told him: no ghosts.

Sacco professed to be relieved. “I’m happy to know that the place isn’t haunted,” he said. He did the show “just to help [set] everyone’s minds at ease.”

Still, “they did find a few things that were bizarre,” he said - specifically “extraordinarily high levels of electromagnetic energy” that can cause paranoia and creepy feelings.

[via]

A young female voice emanates from an empty room.

Footsteps are heard from another part of the house, but no one is there.

A black cat leaves the room — through a solid wall.

During the 12 years that Fred Nolte and Sandra Frye have owned the Chapman Inn Bed & Breakfast on the Bethel common, their guests have repeatedly related such stories over breakfast.

The incidents are frequent enough to prompt a description titled “Come Meet the Spirits” on the inn’s website, along with a “Certified Haunted” designation for the house.

About a year and a half ago, due to the growing number of reported incidents, Fred called upon a Certified Paranormal Investigator to do an in depth study of the inn.

The investigator spent several days, utilizing all of the field’s modern and accepted techniques, including electronic detection and monitoring, Fred said.

As Fred writes on the inn’s website, “His summation indicated that the inn is definitely haunted, and almost certainly by at least two entities.

“The investigator theorized, with good evidence, that even after death [the daughter] would not leave her only friend, and stayed on in spirit to be close to her.

“The investigator went on to state that there is very compelling evidence to indicate that there are two spirits who inhabit the inn. It is his professional opinion that the other spirit is that of the companion, who has also chosen to remain on this side, and that they will spend eternity forever united.”

Click here to read about the Lady in Room 7

IT’S a story likely to confirm whether you’re a true believer or a true sceptic.

Twins Phil and Mick Cahalane, 45, possess a family photo with an intriguing story.

According to the brothers, the photo was taken more than 100 years ago in Scotland and shows their great-grandfather with the image of a “saintly” figure.

The pair first saw the photo as children, when their mother produced it at a family gathering.

“What I heard was that he had gone on a boat trip out in the ocean somewhere and a really bad storm came through as he was fishing,” Phil, who lives in Quakers Hill, said.

“He started praying because he thought he was going to die. The storm passed and because he thought it was safe, he kept fishing, and that’s when he caught most of his fish.

“When he got to land he took a photo with all the fish he caught and this image showed up in the photo.”

The boys were told the figure was St Teresa of Avila .

Mick, who lives in Colyton, said his mother used to carry it around with her up until her death last year.

After that, his father carried it in his wallet until he died six months later.

At that point the family discovered it in their father’s possessions.

“I’m not a real big believer but this shows people that maybe something is out there, and that gives people hope,” Mick said.

The brothers’ inquiries into the photo’s origins proved futile.

“No one really talked about it (when we were younger). It was no big deal,” Phil said.

“Over 45 years I think I only saw it twice. Now no one really knows the story and everyone in the family who did has died.”

He said no one even knew his great-grandfather’s name because it changed when he migrated to Australia.

Phil said he would sell the photo if anyone wanted it.

“We’re not out to fool anyone,” he said.

“Mum was a very honest woman; it was a very personal thing for her,” Phil said.

“I don’t care what anyone thinks. I’m not out to waste anyone’s time and neither is Mick.

“I just think if someone wants to pay for it, why not? You only live once. Why not enjoy it?”

[via]

Subscribe to newsfeed:

• Browse features

  • Aliens (2)
  • Black Magic (4)
  • Creatures (7)
  • Ghosts (5)
  • Poltergeists (2)
  • UFOs (2)

• Browse news items

  • Aliens (3)
  • Black Magic (4)
  • Conspiracy (4)
  • Creatures (15)
  • Entertainment (7)
  • ESP (2)
  • Ghosts (18)
  • Mythology (2)
  • Poltergeists (2)
  • UFOs (18)
  • Witchcraft (2)

• Browse archives

• June 2009
• May 2009
• April 2009
• March 2009
• February 2009
• January 2009
• December 2008
• November 2008
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008