Spooky Oxford

Moretons pub & restaurant (formally called the Crosshands Inn) is situated between Moreton-in-Marsh and Chipping Norton on the A44 in Oxfordshire. 

“There will be a team of us going along with scientific equipment and many members of the team will remain overnight,” says co-founder and lead investigator Barri Ghai, “The manager asked us to come along to look into some strange activity at the former farmhouse.”

Barri Ghai is a normal guy - he's been a bus driver, recruitment consultant and junior assistant television producer in past jobs - he also just happens to have an interest in paranormal research and investigation. 

“I co-founded the society just over a year ago with Ian Wilce.  We met online in another paranormal forum and became best friends quickly,” explains Barri. “I have had several paranormal experiences throughout my life and have researched this field for around 15 years.  I have seen several ghosts, apparitions and mists, and experienced some very frightening incidents.  Whilst in my third year at University 1999, I had just laid down to go to bed for the night, when it felt like someone was shaking me to get up again, just seconds after I had turned out the light. I assumed it was a flat mate, and pulled the cover back only to see a young girl around 6 or 7 standing a foot away from me. She was wearing a very pale/white nightgown which looked like a Victorian style dress, and had blonde hair. The figure seemed to be staring at me, but smiling. I screamed with shock (as you do!) and kicked out at her instinctively. The apparition sort of faded into the dark of the room within a second of my reaction.”

The society was recently contacted by the manager of the Moretons Pub & Restaurant, David Hayto.  “He said that he and several staff have witnessed an apparition in one of the upstairs rooms of the old building.  And he reported other strange ghostly phenomena and asked us to investigate in the hope of getting some answers.”

On the ghost trail at the pub

The team went to the pub & restaurant on Saturday 7th February to see if it was truly haunted! Listen to BBC Oxford’s Jo Thoenes interview with Barri by clicking on the link above, and to find out if they came into contact with the supernatural, click below for the interview with Malcolm Boyden after their mission.