American ghostbusters camp out at 'haunted' Cumbrian pub

A Cumbrian pub which was last year at the centre of a spooky mystery has been probed by paranormal investigators from the US.


The Wolfe pub in Little Dockray attracted national publicity after the News & Star revealed how its CCTV cameras had captured weird and inexplicable goings on in the dead of night.

The footage showed a pulsating ball of light descending through the ceiling, moving around and then flying off at high speed.

At one point, part of the shape appeared to reach out and move rapidly just above a table as if polishing it.

The mystery deepened when it emerged security cameras at the Thomas Cook travel agents next door had captured weird goings on at night.

A computer appeared to turn itself on as a sign fell out of a window.

Speaking yesterday, the Wolfe’s manager Julia Templeton, 35, said customers still talk about the video.

She said: “We were visited by a team of people from an American sci-fi TV channel who wanted to make a programme about it.

“There was a team of around 20 people and they stayed to do investigations for three nights, over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They did all sorts of experiments, though they didn’t tell us what the results were. They said we’d have to watch the programme when it is broadcast in January.

“They were also visiting other haunted places elsewhere in the country.”

Fortunately, since the light ball incident last year, Julia said she was not aware of any further weird happenings.

She added: “A lot of people come in and talk about it, and though I haven’t seen anything untoward I believe there is something there.”

'Ghost' images spook staff at former Cumbrian funeral parlour

In the bizarre 35-second sequence, recorded by a CCTV camera in the dead of night at The Wolfe pub in Little Dockray, a ball of light is seen descending through the ceiling, its outline pulsating as it moves around.

At one point, part of the shape appears to reach out and move rapidly just above a table as if polishing it.

Suddenly, the light ball swoops upwards, disappearing through the ceiling, its topmost part momentarily assuming the likeness of a face.

The pub’s landlord, Andrew Batemen, 38, was staggered when he saw the images.

He mentioned the footage to staff at the Thomas Cook travel agents next door – and found that they too had captured weird goings on their CCTV cameras.

That footage, shot exactly a week later almost to the hour, shows a computer mouse mysteriously moving across a desk in the darkness.

A soft light then bathes the office as the computer monitor switches on – and within seconds a large sign falls from the shop’s front window.

To add to the intrigue, staff at the travel agent believe the building was once used as a funeral parlour.
Andrew said he stumbled on the spectral image.

He said: “I was with a friend, looking at the footage from Tuesday, September 1. It was recording at 18 minutes past midnight, and the pub was in darkness.

“I was about to turn it off when my friend spotted something strange: this glowing shape just comes down from the ceiling into the lounge and floats around the room.

“At one point, it looks as if it’s cleaning tables – it seems to pulse and then boom – it shoots off upwards through the wall and ceiling.

“I don’t believe in ghosts but this freaked me out. I’ve looked at a still of this thing as it shoots off and I’m sure that I can see a face.

“What’s really strange is that something similar was going on next door. Our lounge area used to be part of next door, which I’ve been told was once an undertakers.

“They showed me their footage when I went in to tell about the CCTV.

“There’s nobody near the computer but it just comes on and the whole room starts to glow. Then it gets brighter and a big sign just falls out of the front window. It’s weird.”

Andrew, who has run the pub for 17 years, said his Patterdale terrier dog Dudley becomes fearful when passing through the pub’s doors.

At Thomas Cook next door, 22-year-old Amy Dryden said she has been losing sleep since seeing the images.

She said: “It’s quite scary.

“This place used to be a funeral parlour and when you’re upstairs where we keep our brochures I often get the feeling that I’m being watched. I was absolutely gobsmacked when I saw the CCTV from the pub."

Both Andrew and Thomas Cook staff have been quizzed by customers keen to hear about the images.
Andrew has also been visited by a medium, who told the News & Star she could sense “visitors” from the other side.