Ghost hunters investigate strange goings-on at fire station

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/misc/print.php?artid=1617593

GHOSTS lurking in a fire station may be unearthed this weekend thanks to Paranormal Site Investiga-tors (PSI).

There have been strange goings on at the Drove Road fire station with ghostly figures said to be appearing and alarms sounding mysteriously.

Seven paranormal investigators will examine the building on Saturday with extrasensory equipment to gauge if the fire station really is haunted.

Ghost investigator Nicky Sewell said: "There have been incidences of people seeing figures in corridors and movements out of the corner of their eye.

"There has been the sound of tables and chairs also being moved around when no-one is in the room."

One night all of the fire officers' personal alarms mysteriously went off simultaneously without being activated.

It is thought the site where the fire station is situated has had a troubled history.

The canal once ran through the site and the lockkeeper is thought to have drowned, Nicky said.

There have apparently been reports of possible sightings of the lock-keeper in the fire station.

The team will measure humidity and temperature during the investigation, and will record any movements with dictaphones and video cameras.

They will focus on the top floor corridor and adjoining rooms, the dormitory and yard where equipment is stored.

Nicky said: "We will hopefully capture what has been reported.

"We want to capture any fluctuations during the evening.

"The biggest challenge is that people have been experiencing this over the last 30 years, but we will only be there for eight hours.

"This is a unique opportunity to get to the bottom of this fascinating case. Although the station is relatively modern, there has been talk of ghost activity for many years.

"The fire officers have been very supportive and have shared their experiences with us."

The team are hoping to buy a new instrument to measure electromagnetic fields.

The Magnetic and Anomaly Detection System has been developed specifically for ghost hunting unlike most other tools, which are borrowed from other fields.

The investigation is the first known ghost hunt to take place at a working fire station. The Fire Service will be presented with a 20,000-word report.

PSI is working with Swindon Council to investigate possible hauntings of other buildings.

Results of the investigation will be posted on the group's website at www. hauntedswindon.com.

If you have experienced something unusual and would like PSI to investigate call 0845 6521 529.

6:09pm today

By Sarah Hilley