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Did you join us for the Halloween ghost hunt?
We asked the investigators from Cambridge Paranormal Society (CPS)
to join us for a Halloween ghost watch, to see if the spirits will
indeed manifest themselves.
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Elaine
checks the electrical readings
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Martin,
Paul, Angela, Elaine and Dave from CPS are no strangers to the BBC.
Earlier this year they spent the night in BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's
haunted studio, and are convinced that the building does harbour spirit
activity. But, will the ghosts come out for Halloween?
Join us live on the webcam and you can see all the action as it happens...
The
haunted studio-cam >>
CPS begin
with baseline tests including humidity, temperature, Electro-magnetic
field and air pressure readings. These statistics will be used to
gauge whether changes may be caused by spirit activity.
The EMF readings are particularly interesting on the landing on the
first floor. The machinery room is close by, but the readings are
moving around, which isn’t what CPS would expect. They decide to set
up a video camera on the landing.
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There's
definitely something lurking on the stairs
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Trigger
objects are also set up in the corridor on the first floor - a coin
- on a piece of white paper. Elaine draws around the coin with a pen
and will return to it later to see if it has moved at all. On the
stairwell, Angela has set up another trigger object - this time it’s
a ring. She likes to leave gender-specific objects which the spirits
may be able to relate to. "Women usually like jewellery," she says,
"And sometimes we’ll leave a religious object if we think it’s relevant."
A further trigger coin has been left in the second floor corridor.
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Angela
tries to detect the spirit's identity
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Meanwhile,
Elaine and Angela use their dowsing crystals to see if they can pick
up any information about the spirits. Angela thinks she can definitely
sense a female adult and possibly an adolescent. Elaine, on the other
hand, isn’t so sure. They’re not concerned that their initial readings
don’t agree - with the spirit world, mediums often find they don’t
attract - nor can they sense - the same spirits.
Back in the haunted studio, a trigger object has been set up on the
table in clear sight of the webcam. If you’re watching this live,
you might be able to see the object move! A coin is also placed near
the presenter’s desk. People have reported seeing a male figure sitting
in the presenter’s chair - and no, we don’t mean a radio DJ! "If anyone
is there," explains Paul, "He might move the coin."
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| Elaine
keeps watch in studio 1a - the trigger object - a pipe - can
be seen in the bottom left of the picture. |
Sue Marchant, the Nightshift presenter here at BBC Cambridgeshire
is very sensitive to the spirit world. She’s long been convinced that
a friendly spirit looks after her as she presents the show. She looks
around the studio with Martin and Dave, but becomes suddenly very
uncomfortable. "My throat went very tight. It wasn’t frightening -
just unpleasant and unusual."
Dave leaves
the studio complaining that he felt something very similar, as well
as a pressure on the back of his neck.
The
haunted studio-cam >>
Next on the agenda are EVP tests - or electronic voice phenomenon
to me and you. Paul explains that spirits don't always communicate
in the same way as we do, and by making recordings investigators can
sometimes pick up spirits trying to make contact.
We sit on the darkened first floor landing, the video camera pointing
at us, while Dave speaks to the spirits and Paul records. Dave asks
if anyone wants to make contact. He explains that CPS are here out
of interest, and mean the spirits no harm. He asks the spirit to come
forward - make a sound, speak, or touch someone. Afterwards we listen
to the recording to see if we can hear anything. "It's not always
immediately audible, but we do run the EVP through the computer and
sometimes you can hear things you weren't aware of at the time,"
explains Paul.
At around 1.15am, CPS decide to gather in a circle and try the EVP
again. "When we join hands in a circle the energy is greater
and it can be more successful," says Dave.
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Trying
to make contact
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CPS decide that EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) might be more successful if they join together on the first floor landing, to increase their energy. Once again, they try to make contact with the spirits, but nothing is audible on the tape. "This is quite normal," says Paul. "We'll run the EVP through the audio analyser and then see what we get."
In the wee small hours...
Around 2.30am, Elaine and Angela are sitting quietly in the reception area, when Elaine mentions she has seen the shadow of a tall man, dressed in dark clothing walking into the library. Angela has seen a man matching that description walking out of the library. The images aren't clear, as they can both see the shape of the man through a glass doorway, but they are convinced that they have seen the same thing. They check to see whether Paul and Martin have been walking down the corridors, but are startled to discover that neither have moved from their chairs for quite some time!
At
3am, Angela, Elaine, Martin and Paul head back up to the first floor
landing to see if they can make contact. They are sure that if there
is any spirit energy, it's in this part of the building. One of
the trigger coins has moved - but only very slightly - and it's
not significant enough to really mean anything. "If the spirits
really wanted to make contact, they would move the object quite
a way," say CPS.
The CPS team continue to monitor the haunted corridors into the wee small hours. They have no doubt that there is spirit activity at BBC Cambridgeshire, but this Halloween, our ghosts decide to stay hidden. Maybe they were out trick or treating somewhere else in town!
If you have any true Cambridgeshire ghost stories, why not tell us, and maybe CPS will come and investigate your hauntings, too!
Seen a ghost or got a question?
If you see something spooky through our webcam,
or you've got a question or a comment, why not send an email?
Email to: cambridgeshire@bbc.co.uk
Cambridge Paranormal Society
CPS's investigations are always objectively carried out by dedicated
volunteers in a serious and professional manner.
Now
take a look at the haunted studio >>
Find
out more about the station's ghostly goings-on >>
Cambridge
Paranormal Society >>
Halloween
horror-fest >>
Listen to Sue Marchant's Nightshift from 1am to 5am on 96 and
95.7 FM.
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