DAILY STAR (SUNDAY TAKE 5 MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT) 29/10/06 PAGE 12&13
As Halloween approaches, sceptic journalist Monika Caferky spent a night down a haunted mine in Saltburn, Cleveland, to see if ghosts really do exist...
(please note, although peoples names appeared in the feature we do not place them in full on our website)
Ghosts? What a load
of old tosh. They're just another excuse for supermarkets to sell witches' hats
and skeleton masks.
So spending a night down a haunted mine would be no sweat for a sceptic like
me.
Dressed in a hard hat and sturdy boots I fearlessly headed down into the depths
of the Tom Leonard Mine.
I've been on ghost hunts before but the large numbers of people always scared
away the spirits. Yeah right.
But apparently this paranormal investigation is different – the real dead,
I'm told...
There are only nine of us on this one, it's pitch black and I'm 100ft underground
in what was once an iron mine. “It's one of the most haunted spots we've
ever investigated,” says investigator Mark Riley, 37, from Abbey Ghost
Hunters, “There are spirits as well as residual energy. That's where an
event leaves an imprint which psychics then see replayed.”
Mark hands me an EMF meter to measure electrical activity and show the presence
of spirits. The meter flashes on and off slowly as we walk down the mine.
“We make our investigations as scientific as possible” says Mark,
“I'm the sceptical one and my wife Angie, who's the psychic, is the believer.”
Medium Angie, 40, turns
to me and clutches my arm sincerely. “Teddy's with us now. He died in 1895
when he was nine-years-old,” she says “He worked with the mine's horses
which used to pull the carts. Teddy always makes an appearance when we bring
the public down.”
As we go deeper into the mine, which was used from 1848 to 1958, my eyes adjust
to the darkness. Then as I look back up the tunnel, I swear I see three dark
shapes moving around. Next I feel a tap on my shoulder. Luckily it's nothing
supernatural. It's Angie telling me she's going to connect with spirits. She
inhales deeply and asks: “Is there anybody here tonight?” Suddenly
there are three clear thumps above our heads.
Ever the sceptic, Mark explains that the noise could have been the lumps of
iron ore above us shifting.
Emily, the photographer, wants pictures, but before she can get any shots, the
camera starts shaking. “I'm not pressing the button” she says panicking.
The camera flashes by itself, like it's got a life of its own.
A shiver bristles down my spine. This can't be happening...
By now, Mark has appeared. “Don't be alarmed. It could be the cold.”
Emily shakes her head, “No, I've done shoots in Lapland and the camera
worked fine. I'm spooked.”
I am too and Angie's next words echo my thoughts. “There's been a lot of
activity tonight.” She says, “I've felt many new presences. Now is
not the time to move them into the light. I'll come back later on my own.”
She's a brave woman. There's no way I'd lurk around down here alone.
Story by MONICA CAFFERKY.