Ghost Vale

Reader Derek Pegg left the following message on the Stoke Paranormal Society hotline:

"Can anyone tell me if Vale Park is haunted please, I've felt something touch me in the stands on more than one occasion."

If you can help Derek with this, he asks that you e-mail him at reception@happymassage.com, with the subject "Sentinel Stand".

Local Man Provides Evidence Of Afterlife

When Paul Umney, known to his friends as either "squatman" or "nip" (short for "nipple"), went onto the internet one night last week, little did he realise that he was about to make the greatest scientific breakthrough of all time.

"I watched a video of a piece of paper on a table in an empty room moving about a bit," explains the Vauxhall Nova owner. "It's amazing footage and pretty much proves the existence of the afterlife."

Is it not possible that the movement was caused by fresh air, maybe getting in through a window, air vent, chimney or crack or gap in the doorway?

"I've not been there myself to check, but my understanding from the comments below the video is that the room was completely sealed, and contained just the table, piece of paper and camera. I can't believe this isn't the top story on the news every night, I mean, come on! What more proof could you possibly need?"

Sir Thom Geoffson

On 16 August 1878, Admiral Sir Thom Geoffson was on patrol with Stoke's Navy on Lake Burslem. Suddenly he gave orders for his ship The Boogie and the nearby The Bard Of Bentilee to turn inwards and steam towards each other.

It was obvious to all on board that disaster was imminent, but none of his subordinates dared overrule or question Geoffson's extraordinary command.

As a consequence, the two ships crashed into each other and The Boogie sank, taking the Admiral and four hundred mariners to a watery grave.

As the ship went down Sir Thom was heard to say, "This is not my fault." Military bigwigs agreed with him and laid the blame solely at cabin boy Richard Starkey's feet.

At more or less the exact moment that Sir Thom was plummeting to the lake bed, his wife was holding a seance in their house in Trentham. Suddenly Sir Thom, resplendent in full naval regalia, appeared before over a hundred guests, danced across the dancefloor, before vanishing into the chill out area.

Reader Request

Reader Chubb Yates has sent the following request:

"I've been interested in ghost hunting for years now and have been to lots of haunted places and seen a lot of crazy things. I am interested in joining a local gang in Stoke and have been searching for the right one but unfortunately nothing yet. If anyone knows of any gangs wanting new muscle then please meet me next to the metal tree on Town Road in Hanley this Saturday at 2:45pm. I have a shed we can use for planning attacks and am willing to make uniforms."