A quick trip to your local supermarket this time of year will leave you in no doubt it's officially spooky season.
Werewolf masks, witches brooms, and grimacing pumpkins are staples of every Halloween themed shopping aisle. Back in March 1994, however, one Wythenshawe family had no need for such props in the pursuit of a good scare.
A story that made the front page of the Manchester Metro described the terror experienced by one family who had been tormented by an alleged poltergeist. Clare and her seven month old son had recently moved into a house with her boyfriend and sister in Benchill.
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It was soon after moving in that Clare said a malevolent presence in the house had made itself known. She told of seeing a sinister 'monk-like' figure which was accompanied by a ghostly child peeping out from his long robes.
The family said the terrifying apparition pelted them with plates, ornaments, and even a piece of shelving. In desperation, the mum called in a vicar, a priest, and several nuns to try and rid them of what they believed was a "dangerous poltergeist".
Despite the divine intervention, the entity still continued to appear most nights. On one occasion, Clare claimed she had been pushed down the stairs by an icy hand.
Clare said her family loved the house, but since the terrifying incidents started happening, they had begged the council to move them. She told the Manchester Metro: "It started soon after we moved in.
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"At first I thought it was nothing, but slowly it got worse and worse. I'm just so frightened, we all are.
"I like the house and I like it round here, but I just can't live with this. I can't take much more."
Describing the ghostly monk, the mum said it can be seen clearly when it appears and looks as though its face had been burned. She spoke of her fear, believing it was only a matter of time before somebody in the house got hurt.
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Nuns from the Altrincham Road convent in Sharston had visited the home and given Clare a crucifix. The Rev David Thomas of St Luke's Church had also visited the family home in an attempt to rid it of the spiteful apparition.
He told the Manchester Metro: "We said some prayers in the house, but that's all I could do. I think she's very genuine about what she feels."
A "concerned" Father Michael Murray from St John's RC Church in Woodhouse Lane had also visited the property to bless it with holy water. After being approached, Manchester Council told the newspaper that they had no policy to deal with poltergeists.
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A spokesperson for the council said: "She needs to go back down on the housing list, but I don't know how long it will take." The spokesperson added the council only moved people at short notice if there was a threat of violence.
A week later, the same newspaper reported a team of "Ghostbusters" had visited the house in an attempt to discover more about the alleged poltergeist activity. Members of the Stockport Ghost Society began their investigation at the family home.
Angela, one of the paranormal investigators, said: "I'd say there's definitely something there, and it's not like a poltergeist. It's a ghost that does things like a poltergeist for attention."
Despite the terrifying manifestation of the alleged spirit and its actions, Angela felt the monk was not malevolent in nature. Initial investigations into several rooms in the house are said to have detected a "presence", resulting in one of the investigators becoming dizzy and light-headed.
Clare added: "I really like this house and I don't want to leave it. If they can get rid of it I'm happy to stay, but at the moment I'm really frightened."
What became of the alleged haunting of the house in Benchill, Wythenshawe, is not known. No other records of the incident can be found in the British Newspaper Archive, so for now, its fate remains a mystery.
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