Merseyside paranormal investigators braved Europe’s ‘most haunted’ house
Merseyside paranormal investigators braved Europe’s ‘most haunted’ house
Scouse ghostbusters hunt for paranormal activity
Merseyside paranormal investigators braved Europe’s ‘most haunted’ house. 30 East Drive in Pontefract is believed to be inhabited by a violent poltergeist, which is so active that the homeowner is “too scared” to spend a night in the property.
The eerie occurrences in the three-bedroom house in Yorkshire are said to have begun in 1966 when Jean and Joe Pritchard moved in with their two children, Phillip, then 15, and Diane, then 12. The family experienced years of “unexplainable phenomena”, such as lights turning off on their own, green foam appearing from taps, and photographs being mysteriously slashed, YorkshireLive previously reported.
Family members were even slapped and pushed down the stairs, and plants were seen leaping out of their pots onto the staircase. After the Pritchards moved out, it was claimed that a Tudor monk was buried under the house, who many believe is the source of the haunting spirit.
Legend claims it’s the ghost of a Tudor-era Cluniac monk from a nearby monastery who was hanged for the rape and murder of a young girl in the area where 400 years later the house would be built in the 1950s.
The entity is described as a tall, black-cloaked, hooded figure, allegedly often seen by members of the Pritchard family. Despite their fear, the family originally called the poltergeist ‘Fred’ in an attempt to humanise its presence.
But, unlike typical ghosts, this poltergeist is known for extreme physical activity, including throwing items, creating pools of water and making chilling noises.
Current homeowner Bil Bungay told YorkshireLive he’s never spent the night in the house. He said: “It terrifies me. I think this thing is not just terrifying, but it’s also intelligent and playful – it sort of shows off. That intrigues me the most about whatever is in that house.”
Despite the horror stories, Merseyside paranormal investigator John Wharton and his team, Heavy Metal Haunting, decided to visit the house.
On December 16 they spent 71 hours in the semi-detached house and claim to have encountered the violent poltergeist. John Wharton, 40, from Tranmere, told the ECHO: “I was sceptical about visiting 30 East Drive, but we definitely encountered something. I don’t think it was the black monk, but it was definitely something.”
Mr Wharton says the team caught lights flickering, a figure moving on the stairs and their light sensors ‘wouldn’t stop’. They filmed everything live on TikTok and have shared the footage with the ECHO.
He said: “While we did not encounter the black monk, we did encounter something; it could be an entity that decided to pay us a visit that night.
“We believe it’s not the house; it’s the land that’s haunted. The house was anything but quiet. I’m so glad we caught all the footage on camera so people could see it happening live on TikTok. Whatever it was, it was without a doubt a spirit.”
Mr Bungay, a filmmaker who produced a horror movie based on the house, bought the property for £155,000. He now rents it out to horror film enthusiasts for around £75 per night, attracting visitors from across the UK. You can find out more on 30 East Drive’s website.
What do you think it was? Let us know in the comments!
