BACK

Investigation Date: 24th February 2006

Investigators present: Drew Bartley, Darren Ritson, Fiona Vipond, Lee Stephenson

Guests: Mark, Rob, Chris and Scott.

On the night of 24^th February 2006 the GHOST investigation team investigated the sea nightclub on Newcastle quayside. As the club was open we had to wait until 3.00am before we could investigate so prior to this particular investigation we were allowed access into the coroners court building, which stands next to the sea club. This building was built in the late 1800s around 1888 and was once used as a mausoleum and a morgue. It belongs to the same people as the sea club and they have told us that they do indeed feel it is haunted. Strange occurrences and odd noises have been experienced by some of the staff while in there. So we were killing two birds with one so to speak and we investigated both venues on the one night. This report details the events that happened while the GHOST investigation team were in the coroner’s court. We arrived at the premises at about 11.30pm and straight away we set about conducting our baseline tests and set up our trigger objects. On three levels of the building we placed:

The Morgue: A trigger object of a crucifix. The temperature read 13 degrees and no EMF anomalies were recorded. The Ground floor: A trigger object of a crucifix was placed down and the temperature read 4.5 degrees. No EMF anomalies were recorded. (The other room on this level was full of electrical boxes and wires so the EMF meter was not used in this room). On the upper floors no trigger object was used, the room temperature was 3.5 degrees and again no EMF anomalies were detected. It has to be noted that as we were in the Quayside in Newcastle (right on the swing bridge) the chances of noise pollution was very high indeed. Great care must be taken not to misinterpret any possible auditory phenomena.

We spilt into two groups to cover more of the building. In group one was myself, Lee and Mark (guest), and group two there was Drew, Fiona and Rob (guest). Our group stayed on the middle floor for the first vigil. At 12.55am I photographed my first light orb so I called out into the atmosphere to see if anything would happen. We were not disappointed. A noise resembling a box falling or moving was heard by all although we were all sitting still at this point. I then tried to turn on my torch, which I had just changed the batteries for and it would not work at all. We found this rather odd indeed. We ventured into the other room on this same level where we had placed out motion sensors. As we were standing in the room the motion sensors were tripped and the alarm went off.

The three of the investigators were nowhere near the sensors when they went off and further tests proved the batteries were working fine. They did not go off any more that night. A feeling of immense cold around Lee and Marks legs were reported just after the sensors were tripped but this could have been a draught or cold breeze coming up the stairs from the cellars/old morgue. Lee and Mark beg to differ. Just at this precise time too, Lee caught some nice moving light anomalies on video camera while the camera was facing the top of the stairs. We then ventured back into the other room to find our trigger object had been moved about an inch or so of its line. We took photographs of the moved crucifix and ended this first very productive vigil. It didn’t take long for us to work out this building had something very odd within its walls. Group two were upstairs and they reported one or two strange noises and unexplained taps but generally it was a quiet vigil for them.

Break time, and when I spent a moment or so in the corridor next to the gents, I heard a loud bang and what sounded like a length of chain falling on the floor coming from behind me in the corridor. I feel it was definitely in the corridor behind me but I cannot rule out the possibility that it came from outside.

Break time was over and location two saw us in the upper area of this building while the other group staked out the middle or ground floor. Within minutes of starting the vigil at 02.00am two nice moving light anomalies were caught on video camera. They both seemed to be caught around the loft hatch area on the ceiling. Lee states that there might have been a possible hanging in this area. (Perhaps from the loft hatch). I call out to the atmosphere and once again Lee catches another orb on the video camera.

At this point in the investigation I then feel something actually touching the side of my face. It was like walking through cobwebs. I moved across the room and it happened again only this time it was on the top of my head. I move around again and once more something feels as though it’s touching me. Was something following me around the room? I certainly felt there was. An image was then put into my head and from where it came from I do not know. The image of an old man came to me with a long beard and he had on a plastic Mack, or a cagoule his hood was up. Lee’s camera started to go in and out of focus for a while for some unknown reason. By now it was 02.30am and it was the end of a vigil. Team two came back from the downstairs morgue with some interesting results too. Orbs were caught on night vision video camera and unexplained noises were heard coming from by the stairwell. The phenomena called pulsing also occurred and was witnessed by all down there. This is when a certain part of the room goes even darker and blacker than what it is normally and then returns to normal. This happened in the doorway and the light coming down the stairs was completely blacked out for some reason. Trick of the light? Eyes playing tricks? Or paranormal phenomena? This pulsing is yet another question that needs answering and more research is needed by paranormal investigators to find out what it actually is. Whatever it is, its pretty harrowing. To end this vigil, the group tried a mini séance where Drew’s arm was actually grabbed and squeezed by an invisible presence. That was enough for him! Luckily it was time to end the vigil down there anyway.

A good vigil with good results had by both groups. What will the rest of the night bring? It was our turn down in the morgue now and I was very excited about this vigil. Little did I know what was going to happen. Vigil three started at 02.50am down in the cellar and I started by calling out to the atmosphere. It was jet black down there and you could not see your hand in front of your face.

At 02.55am I heard shuffling and movement coming from the top of the stairs that lead into the morgue. I ventured over to the bottom of the stairs and the sounds became clearer. I called out up the stairs to see if anyone was there and got no reply so I climbed the stairs to find no one there at all. So what was moving around on the stairs? (In the same area where our motion sensors were tripped earlier on in the investigation). I rejoined the group in the morgue, reported my findings and proceeded to call out to the atmosphere. What Lee and myself then heard astounded us both and sent shivers down my spine. We both heard a long drawn out breath, which sound almost like a laugh. This was recorded on videotape. I continued to call out and like the earlier groups findings we also experienced the pulsing in the doorway. The best was to come for me personally as when I was asking for phenomena, something pulled the clipboard in my hand! I was quite surprised to say the least because this was something physical. I asked the spirit in the room to do this again and low and behold it felt as though someone tried to pull the damn thing out my hand. It was so hard that my arm was pulled forward. I shone the torch and when I realised no one was near me I realised we had had a fantastic result. We then exited the room in rather of a hurry. This was the end of the vigil at this location and what an investigation it was.

The Investigation carried out at this particular venue proved very interesting to say the least. Never before investigated and its unlikely that it will be investigated again. The coroner’s court, in our opinion had an entity or spirit that roamed the whole premises causing mischief and generally letting people know it resides there. There was nothing untoward or malevolent about it and we think it is that of a male. The similarities between the reported phenomena of the investigation vigils were very striking. Both units heard the guttural breath or laugh, and the pulsing phenomena was witnessed by both units too. Both groups also witnessed a physical experience, with my clipboard being tugged, and Drew’s arm being grabbed. What impresses me though was that most of it was all experienced down in the morgue. Along with the sensors being activated and the trigger object being moved on the middle floor, this investigation proved very good indeed.