A Spooky Tale

[Wycombe Fox]

I didn't believe in ghosts until 2001.

We live in an Victorian villa built in 1874. It has a very homely feel to it and we're very happy here.

In 2001, at about 2.00am one October morning, I heard a noise on the landing. I got out of bed for a quick look and there was a young girl of about 10 or 11 years old standing at the top of the stairs. She had long dark hair and was wearing a long silk-looking blue dress over a white blouse with a frilly collar. She was there for about 5 seconds and then vanished.

About three months later a friend who reckons she's a bit 'spiritual' came round and asked if we knew we had a ghost. She described exactly what I had seen.

Early this morning I woke up needing a drink. I went downstairs to the kitchen. On my way back, as I approached the living room door, I heard a rhythmic tapping sound like fingers drumming to a beat. I stood listening for a couple of minutes and then reached around the door to turn on the light. Immediately, the noise stopped. There was nobody there.

About 15 minutes ago my 17 year-old son came to ask me what was going on in the bathroom, which is next to his bedroom, at about 2.30am this morning. Apparently he thought someone was in the bath sloshing around and ended up banging on the wall.

My 12 year-old has just told me that he heard the shower running on Saturday evening but when he opened the door, the noise stopped.

Not sure what to make of it all - tonight could be interesting!

[Tabou]

I didn't believe in ghosts until 2001.

We live in an Victorian villa built in 1874. It has a very homely feel to it and we're very happy here.

In 2001, at about 2.00am one October morning, I heard a noise on the landing. I got out of bed for a quick look and there was a young girl of about 10 or 11 years old standing at the top of the stairs. She had long dark hair and was wearing a long silk-looking blue dress over a white blouse with a frilly collar. She was there for about 5 seconds and then vanished.

About three months later a friend who reckons she's a bit 'spiritual' came round and asked if we knew we had a ghost. She described exactly what I had seen.

Early this morning I woke up needing a drink. I went downstairs to the kitchen. On my way back, as I approached the living room door, I heard a rhythmic tapping sound like fingers drumming to a beat. I stood listening for a couple of minutes and then reached around the door to turn on the light. Immediately, the noise stopped. There was nobody there.

About 15 minutes ago my 17 year-old son came to ask me what was going on in the bathroom, which is next to his bedroom, at about 2.30am this morning. Apparently he thought someone was in the bath sloshing around and ended up banging on the wall.

My 12 year-old has just told me that he heard the shower running on Saturday evening but when he opened the door, the noise stopped.

Not sure what to make of it all - tonight could be interesting!

Stay away from drugs, kids.

[Fosse Boy]

Not trying to belittle your story IOW Fox but why are all ghosts always bleedin' Victorians?

[BoneDog]

If I lived in your house I would definately be shitting bricks!

In addition to this I would set up my video camera on night-vision at the top of the stairs overnight and have a look through it the next day.

Then I'd get Derek Acorah and his Ethiopian spirit guide Sam round to try and get to the bottom of it

[Guest MarshallForEngland]

Are you serious? Why wouldn't you want to belittle this story? It deserves belittling. Why do ghosts always dick around doing stuff like this? Tapping incessantly, disappearing just as you are getting a good look at them, turning the bloody bath on at all hours. They think they own the place, these ghosts.

Humans are programmed to recognise faces and people, a phenomenon which will obviously be exaggerated when it's dark and you're tired having just woken up at 2am.

With regards to the alleged confirmation from your friend who is "a bit spiritual": I honestly can't see what you are inferring from this. Wouldn't other explanations be more rational than "it's a ghost"? Confirmation bias? Selective recall? The fact that a "little girl" is possibly the most cliché image in the history of ghost stories?

With regards to rhythmic tapping: So what? Could have been anything. Creeky floorboards, water dripping outside, general noises that all houses make, somebody else in your house tapping. Or maybe it was a ghost who decided to manifest themselves not in an obvious & visual manner but in an ambiguous auditory manner. These ghosts are far too ambiguous for my liking.

With regards to your son at 2:30am: Again, so many better explanations than "it's a ghost". Auditory hallucinations are extremely common, particularly when falling asleep or waking up. And if there was a noise at all, it could have come from a large number of sources.

"It's a ghost" should be your last resort - try logic and rationale first

[samlcfc]

sounds trippy. Should do the camera thing in a couple of rooms and if you hear anything again you may just catch something on camera

[Guest MarshallForEngland]

Agreed, at least get some cameras in the bathroom - it's going to cost you a fortune in water bills if those pesky ghouls keep turning the taps on and off as and when they please.

EDIT: Spelling

[lou]

You people suggesting the camera havent seen Paranormal Activity I take it? :eek:

[Guppy]

You people suggesting the camera havent seen Paranormal Activity I take it? :eek:

I just hope he shuts his bloody door at night.

[lou]

I just hope he shuts his bloody door at night.

[haraven]

IOWF; Don't know what is most scary - the story you posted on here tonight, or the chat you and General Smuts had while you were eating lunch and checking out the match again Nottingham.

:w00t:

[Wycombe Fox]

With regards to rhythmic tapping: So what? Could have been anything. Creeky floorboards, water dripping outside, general noises that all houses make, somebody else in your house tapping.

I stood outside the room for about two minutes listening. The kids were all in bed. I know which floorboards creek and which ones don't. It was definitely coming from the room I was outside.

I don't mind belittling comments - I was just sharing my experience last night.

Oh well... time for bed

[Zingari]

I stood outside the room for about two minutes listening. The kids were all in bed. I know which floorboards creek and which ones don't. It was definitely coming from the room I was outside.

I don't mind belittling comments - I was just sharing my experience last night.

Oh well... time for bed

Ryde , ghost town

[Wycombe Fox]

IOWF; Don't know what is most scary - the story you posted on here tonight, or the chat you and General Smuts had while you were eating lunch and checking out the match again Nottingham.

:w00t:

[Wycombe Fox]

Ryde , ghost town

I've seen this before and I reckon most of those places have been done-up and re-opened apart from the shops at the pier which have just been re-opened after a monumental council cock-up that's cost us around £1.6 million

[Guest MarshallForEngland]

I stood outside the room for about two minutes listening. The kids were all in bed. I know which floorboards creek and which ones don't. It was definitely coming from the room I was outside.

I don't mind belittling comments - I was just sharing my experience last night.

Oh well... time for bed

Are you saying that you believe it was a ghost making the noise?

[skinnydipper]

If I lived in your house I would definately be shitting bricks!

In addition to this I would set up my video camera on night-vision at the top of the stairs overnight and have a look through it the next day.

Then I'd get Derek Acorah and his Ethiopian spirit guide Sam round to try and get to the bottom of it

Can't stand him

"This is the most psychic cat I've ever come across"

It's a cat FFS

[Zingari]

i could hear strange banging noises and moaning sounds from my next door neighbours last night , i reckon they are haunted too

[BoneDog]

Can't stand him

"This is the most psychic cat I've ever come across"

It's a cat FFS

Yeah He talks a load of bollocks! But I enjoy watching him cos I can't believe he thinks people are believing what he says. I can't figure out if he is a bit mental or has just tapped into a niche market

[Wycombe Fox]

Are you saying that you believe it was a ghost making the noise?

I don't believe in ghosts but I really can't explain the tapping noises. The bathwater I can explain because it was probably my 17 year-old losing all sense of time (as he stays in bed so long) and it was probably my wife in the bath before going to work.

It's the tapping noises in the lounge that I can't come up with anything rational.

[skinnydipper]

Yeah He talks a load of bollocks! But I enjoy watching him cos I can't believe he thinks people are believing what he says. I can't figure out if he is a bit mental or has just tapped into a niche market

I think he's identified that there's enough muppets out there to make him a pile of cash and keep him attired in nasty suits and earrings

[BoneDog]

It's not ghosts, it's Jinn or demons. They are not our spirits, they are other creatures from a parallell dimension. They probably just havin a laugh

These are the sort of things that the top folk summon up on them chequered floors (where the dimensions intermingle) with rituals. Sort of like a ouija but much more complex and less well known

[BoneDog]

I think he's identified that there's enough muppets out there to make him a pile of cash and keep him attired in nasty suits and earrings

Yes, that sounds about right. It must be quite an entertaining job to have! I've seen him on tele trying hard not to laugh on a few occasions while he's 'possessed'.