The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Investigation Report

The History Of The Schooner Hotel - 2009

As well as a legitimate trading port, it was also a haven for smugglers and vagabonds. Such was the reputation of Alnmouth that John Wesley, the founder of The Methodist Church, commented that it was "a small seaport town famous for its wickedness".

The Hotel itself is a listed 17th Century Coaching Inn and has been the hub of Alnmouth village for the past 300 years. Notable persons who've stayed in the hotel include Charles Dickens, Basil Rathbone, Douglas Bader and even King George III.

The history of the hotel is not well documented but there are many stories of murders, suicides and massacres. There have even been reports of babies being thrown into fires!

The Paranormal History Of The Schooner Hotel - 2009

Throughout history many ghosts have been seen, heard, and felt. The stories and rumors of the actual events that may have caused these ghosts to be haunting the hotel are lost or forgotten. However, some of the tales include murders, suicides, massacres, and babies being thrown into roaring fires.

The Poltergeist Society has given the Schooner Hotel the title of "Most Haunted Hotel in Great Britain" twice. It has been investigated and is listed on record as having over 60 individual ghosts. The ghosts have become more active the last few years where they have been over 3,000 sightings reported.

There was supposed to of been a Family murdered connected to Room 28 and that corridor. Screams are often heard within. Some staff have experienced the feelings of been watched in certain rooms and a sense of dreed when they need to go into the "haunted" rooms.

Along the corridor where room 17 is a Young ghost boy is suppose to go along on his Small Tricycle and knock against the door and on all the door along that corridor there are scraches on the doors and staff cannot explain why this has occurred.

Whiserpings are heard and screams are heard. Knocks and clicking noises and raps are heard in certain room as well, especially room 28,29,30. Dark shadows are seen. People have experinced feeling uneasy, dizzy and sick in these rooms.

There is also supposed to be the Presense of a Solider walking the corridors and also a maid who haunted the stairs.

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Baseline Report

Before every investigation we conduct a thorough examination of the location site to highlight anything within the environment which may interfere or influence with any later investigation through the night. For instance, if there is a railway line nearby which, with the passing of trains throught the night, could cause virbrations in within the location - we'll make sure it's noted down

We also take readings throughout the investigation site (see actual locations) so as to set a baseline which all further readings can be compared againt. At present, we currenly take readings concerning the Temperature, Humidity and of the local Electro-Magnetic Field.

Information Regarding The Schooner Hotel - 2009 Investigation

What follows is some general information regarding the investigation at The Schooner Hotel - 2009.

Possible Environmental Influences At The Schooner Hotel - 2009

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Room 28

Baseline Report

Environment Readings

No baseline readings were taken in this location

Group Vigils

What follows are the group vigils that took place in this location.

Note : These vigils are presented purely in Group Order and in no way reflect the order
 in which each group visited the location during the night.

Group 1

NGIers - Jay

Guests - Various

We settled down in room 28 for our first location of the night and spread ourselves out evenly throughout the room and bathroom and initially just let the room and the hotel settle.

The first half of our vigil passed without incident despite a number of attempts by people within the group calling out and attempting to create a little energy for any wayward spirits to feed upon and to then come and talk with us.

A couple of small things then happened in quick succession. There was a noise in the room similar to something scraping against a wall. Nobody in the room admitted responsibility and even though we investigated a number of possibilities, no discernable cause was found.
Jay from his position at the top of the bed, noted a dark mass seemed to have formed in front of the door and seemed to be impenetrable to his eyes – even obscuring the small crack of light that sliced under the door from the hallway. A couple of others semi-confirmed this observation however, upon closer examination of the door area, the “mass” vanished as soon as someone approached.

Group 2

NGIers - Claire

Guests - Lyndsey, David, Jamie, Catilin,Gillian, Linda

The group were joined by John for this location.

Claire asked John what he had received in here earlier and was getting again. He told the guests, and mentioned the little old lady again. Claire and John told the guests about Claires blurry pictures of John in the chair. Several of the guests and John were seeing odd flashes and coloured lights over the bed.

Claire suggested they did an energy circle to add to what she and John and Lyndsey felt was already there so the group stood in a circle near the chair and did the 'twitch' with Claire joining in and also calling out.

John and several of the guests were seeing lights and things moving over the bed and near the wardrobe. Claire felt 'removed' from this, and became very distant and quiet, her head started to droop, and after a while she left the circle and went to sit in the chair.

Claire isn’t totally clear during this time what the rest of the group were getting, but she was aware of them saying things about lights and colours,and asking her if she was ok. Claire said she was fine,she got some 'energy rushes' up her and felt very relaxed,heavy and fine. John seemed a bit concerned as he felt that a spirit was trying to enter her,but Claire assured him she felt fine. Claire saw her hands as 'big male fists,white skin' and could feel them as though they were her own hands. Although whatever it was was affecting her, and she did some stupid grunting snorting noises but that was all she could take from whatever it was she was experiencing. After a while it abated and she rejoined the others stood up again and got some of the others to sit in the chair to see if they could feel it, but it didn't seem as though they did.

Most of the guests and John felt the room was 'thick' with energy and was disappointed to have to leave it at the end of the vigil.

Group 3

NGIers - Carol

Guests - various

Start Middle End
Temp 20.4 0c 20.3 0c 20.3 0c
Hum 54% 56% 56%
Time 3.03 3.22 3.46
This location was 'very' quiet. However, 3 of the guests used the Ouija Board- others felt very uneasy participating in this, so sat out and observed. The letters S & H were spelt out. It was a Male presence and that he had worked in the hotel. He was a young boy but the actual age wasn't given. The date was also not given in great detail either, so this couldn't be recorded accurately, but was thought to be around the 19th or early 20th century. Apart from the odd tapping sound, which could have been the radiator/ heating system cooling down, nothing else of note could be recorded on this vigil.

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Room 29

Baseline Report

Environment Readings

No baseline readings were taken in this location

Group Vigils

What follows are the group vigils that took place in this location.

Note : These vigils are presented purely in Group Order and in no way reflect the order
 in which each group visited the location during the night.

Group 1

NGIers - Jay

Guests - Various

Room 29 was certainly a room that Jay was looking forward to returning to. On his previous 2 visits to the Schooner over the years, it was this very room that had provided some of the best activity that he had experienced in his time with Northern Ghost Investigations.

The group settled down around the room, with one of those present sitting in front of a dressing table and attempting to Scry.

After a while Jay began to call out, asking for any spirits to come forward and to communicate with the group like Jay had witnessed before.
The Scryer did report a slight change of the features in her face and thought at times that she was able to see a man looking back at her, but it was very fleeting and nothing that remain fixed for too long.

Jay continued calling out as some of the others investigated the bathroom where a strong, pungent odour had been present all night long. Jay began to tap on the wooden bed frame asking for any person, spirit or entity to repeat the sound that was being made. Again he tapped .. and again. Finally, there was a loud Tap-Tap from the other side of the bed from where he sat, low down on the wall, which made a few people jump. Result?

Sadly, no. It was later discovered that the group in Room 30 next door had been also trying the same trick and it was in fact them tapping!! Bugger!

Group 2

NGIers - Claire

Guests - Lyndsey, David, Jamie, Catilin,Gillian, Linda

Claire sat on the floor near the corner where the coat hangers were, Linda and Gillian sat on the bed nearest the window, Dave sat on a chair near the doors, Caitlin and Lyndsey sat on the bed nearest the window and Jamie sat on the floor near the bathroom door and went in the bathroom at one point with Dave to check out a noise heard.

Apart from Jamie/Dave moving everyone remained in those places for the vigil give or take changing positions slightly.

The group positioned themselves in those places and made themselves comfy and for the first 10 minutes got used to the 'feel' and noises of the room etc.

Lyndsey saw an amber/red flash she said was like a match being struck in the corner where the trigger object was. On checking there was nothing the group could find that could have caused what she saw. Lyndsey got the name 'Angie', she felt emotional, and got the name 'Bernadette', who had lost her husband at sea.

Dave felt a warmth go up his back, from the base of his spine upwards through his body, leaving his hands tingly. He saw a white/yellow pinprick of light in the same trigger object corner Lyndsey had seen a light in. He said it looked like burning magnesium.
Jamie measures the temperature of Daves back and hands using his laser thermometer but nothing unusual was to note in the readings.

A 'noise' like a bang or knock was heard in the bathroom by all. Claire at first thought it was the group in the next room, but the others said it came from the bathroom for definite. Jamie and Dave checked the bathroom out but the noise wasn't heard again and no cause was found for the noise. Claire said when they switched locations she'd go in the room next door whilst they remained in there and try and recreate the noise, but she forgot to do this at the end of the vigil - slacker!!!

Claire called out for any energy present to make itself be known by making a noise, a few small noises were heard but this was probably Claires plastic carrier moving slightly. Then the coat hangers hung up moved slightly, and on checking under torchlight it appeared they were moving slightly, not all but a few at the end. Claire had been the only person sat near this and she hadn't moved at all during the 10 minutes previous to it, Claire and some of the guests called out and asked if it was a spirit moving them for it to move them some more, and it they did move slightly more, only the first few nearest to the wall. Other requests for them to be moved 'on demand' failed. They had seemed to be 'vibrating' almost when moving. Walking near them on the floor did not cause them to move in this way. Claire meant to jump and walk around in the room and bathroom next door to see if this caused the same effects at the end but again, was slack and forgot to do so!

Linda felt nothing unusual in this location, she felt the room was 'comfy'.

Gillian said her head was touched twice.

Caitlin said she felt nothing unusual and just felt 'fine'.

Group 3

NGIers - Carol

Guests - various

A couple of the guests had a go at using the pendulum. A couple of the guests experienced a "pulling" sensation with the pendulum but others didn't. Slight bangs were heard by some of the guests. Footsteps were heard outside the bedroom door at one point in the evening, on the landing. Carol (NGI) looked outside but there was no one, or thing present. A Human Pendulum was performed by just 1 of the guests (Sharon). Sharon commented that she felt a "swaying motion" and that she had the urge to "fall forwards". However, she also said that this could have been put down to her being quite tired at the time.

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Room 30

Baseline Report

Environment Readings

No baseline readings were taken in this location

Group Vigils

What follows are the group vigils that took place in this location.

Note : These vigils are presented purely in Group Order and in no way reflect the order
 in which each group visited the location during the night.

Group 1

NGIers - Jay

Guests - Various

We were joined by John in this room and he spent his time communicating with the guests on the feelings and sensations he was picking up upon in regards Room 30.

One name (or word) kept coming to him – Cartwright. Whether this was an actual name or a job title of sorts, is not known.
He also described an energy that seemed to be present in the room – something similar to a dark mass which at times stood very close to him and blocked his vision. There was one time when he jumped slightly as he thought Jays arm had moved close in the periphery of his vision, but Jay was standing a good few feet behind him, unmoving.

There was very little activity witnessed in Room 30 – at best, a few strange noises emanating from the bathroom, but it is entirely possible that this could have been moments when the falling rain from outside was rushing across pipes.

Group 2

NGIers - Claire

Guests - Lyndsey, David, Jamie, Catilin,Gillian, Linda

Claire and several other members still felt a bit 'fired up' from what they had experienced in room 28, and they all immediately made themselves comfortable around the room, Claire on the floor next to the window, Gillian and Linda on the bed nearest the window, Caitlin and Lyndsey on the other bed and Dave and Jamie near the door and the end of the bed.

Claire did not take notes during this vigil as she still felt 'monged out' and was experiencing things in this room slightly too, so she got everyone to call out clearly what they were getting to make sure the voice recorder would get it all. At the moment there is nothing on the recording but muffled scratches and shuffles and very muffled voices. Claire is struggling to find a cause for this, as she deliberately made sure the voice recorder was on and was clear from and bags or clothing which could muffle the microphone.

From memory Claire remembers Lyndsey and Linda both getting affected, Dave seeing something and Claire feeling monged out, but asking as many questions of what Linda and Lyndsey were describing as possible. Hopefully the recording will be able to be 'cleared' so that the information given will be able to be put into the report, but at present all of the voices are unclear and muffled beyond recognition.
Caitlin said she had gone freezing cold and felt unwell in this location, she felt sick at one point and was going to go outside to get some fresh air for a bit.

Group 3

NGIers - Carol

Guests - various

One of the guests, Andrina, felt a "scratching" feeling down BOTH sides of her face. She thought this might be an Allergic reaction. No on else in the group felt this sensation it has to be noted. As soon as Andrina left the location it went immediately. This location was 'very' quiet, and nothing worthy of note could be recorded.

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Room 32

Baseline Report

Environment Readings

No baseline readings were taken in this location

Group Vigils

What follows are the group vigils that took place in this location.

Note : These vigils are presented purely in Group Order and in no way reflect the order
 in which each group visited the location during the night.

Group 1

NGIers - Jay

Guests - Various

oom 32 happened to be the most quietest location of the night for Group 1. Even in all the other locations, the group could “sense” that maybe something was about even though it never came forward.

The only thing of note was during a spell of the “twitch” – all holding hands and sending a squeezing of the hands around the circle.
The giggles hit us. It would seem that the “twitch” would barely go half way around the circle before we’d all fall into a fit of giggles and had to start again. There was no explanation for this as nothing funny was said or done, but, we just couldn’t stop ourselves!

Group 2

NGIers - Claire

Guests - Lyndsey, David, Jamie, Catilin,Gillian, Linda

n entering Claire asked the group if they could smell anything - no one could smell anything. Gillian and Linda had been on the medium walk around when Claire had asked the guests what they could smell when in that room, Gillian had smelt 'incense' then, and she remarked that the room didn’t smell anything like it did before on the medium walk around.

Gillian and Linda sat on the bed nearest the window, Caitlin and Lyndsey sat on the double bed, Claire sat on the floor next to the wardrobe at the foot of the double bed, Dave sat in a chair near there and Jamie sat near him. At one point Dave and Jamie checked out the bathroom but nothing to note was found.

Lyndseys EMF meter went off for no apparent reason when it was just laid on the bed in front of them. On checking it wasn't picking up any EMF's in the room other than right under the light as was expected. On the bed for a period of about 5 minutes it kept on screeching, and if not screeching it was 'clicking' away to itself. No cause for this was found at first, although it was decided later it could have been caused by a watch/battery etc. The group did call out for any spirit to affect the meter by making it make more noises, and it did seem to 'click faster' in response for a while, then went completely quiet and didn't make any more noise.

Gillian and Linda said their hearts were beating fast during this time, which they said was unusual for them both, and they didn't put it down to fear or expectation as such.

Most of the guests saw a constant pin prick of light ,which in investigation was found to be caused by a bit of glitter on the bed picking up a slight bit of light coming in from outside.

Almost everyone had a go with the pendulum at some point, Claire said to use 2,and Lyndsey and another guest (not sure if it was Linda or Gillian) used them, Lyndseys was moving but not the other,(Lyndseys was her own). Claire used hers and was surprised it gave no movement at all (she had her eyes shut and was asking them both to indicate which way it was going to swing for yes and which way for no and asking the guests to tell her when there was movement, Lyndsey kept her eyes open - Claires pendulum almost always moves for her, yet she doesn’t assume it is caused by 'spirit' activity). Lyndseys pendulum 3 times gave the same movements for yes and no, so Claire put hers down and the group focused on Lyndseys.

The only 'definite' and clear swings to indicate yes and no to the questions asked were:

''Are you male?' - YES
'Is it John?' - Nothing clear but a lot of movement
'Is it the man from the last room?' - NO
'Is it John' - NO

Caitlin then said she felt as though her fingers had been 'pushed' from the EMF meter she had been holding. She tried to recreate the feeling but couldn't.

Group 3

NGIers - Carol

Guests - various

John the "guest" medium joined this group for the 40 minute vigil. John came up with the name Nathaneal and thought it was a biblical old fashioned name, but he felt it 'very' strong. A guest saw a flashing light behind Carol (NGI Investigator) at the door. A red light residual was also observed at this point. John felt that the bedroom had changed, or at least the atmosphere had. John sensed a photograph of Nathaneal in the room but, it wasn't 'actually' in this time, who he sensed was standing in the middle of the bed area, near the wardrobe.
John described Nathaneal as a "rough brawny man", and that he could hear a "thumping in the distance". John could also hear the words "borrow it" or borrowed it". There was also a sensation down John's right hand side down his spine. John also commented that he had a "bad earache".

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - The Corridor

Baseline Report

Environment Readings

No baseline readings were taken in this location

Group Vigils

What follows are the group vigils that took place in this location.

Note : These vigils are presented purely in Group Order and in no way reflect the order
 in which each group visited the location during the night.

Group 1

NGIers - Jay

Guests - Various

At the far end of the Schooner – disused by the hotel at this time of year – was a section of the hotel that had been plunged into darkness and left. It consisted of 2 long corridors one a-top of each other with a stairwell connecting them.

We decided to do a couple of things – the corridor upstairs is one of the corridors known as a “haunted corridor” – so we decided to set off one by one into the darkness, along one corridor, up the stairs, along the “haunted corridor” and back.

Jay went first to demonstrate what we were doing (and, suppose he had to really!) and set off along the corridor alone. He climbed the set of stairs, but, before he turned and climbed the second set of stairs – he got a big uncomfortable feeling that somebody was stood behind him and above – looking over the railings at him. He did stop for a moment or two while he assessed the situation (deciding whether to give up!!) – but pushed on regardless and then returned to the rest of the group.

Others went after him and once everyone had done the task we briefly talked about – the majority of the group described exactly the same feeling described above and exactly the same spot.

We then split into two groups – one in the upstairs corridor, one on the downstairs corridor. Whilst downstairs, Jay and Dave went exploring around and at one point heard a loud bang from a door adjoining the corridor. Nothing was really thought of it at the time although it was explored figuring it must have been the other person on this corridor with us.

It was only when they returned to their assigned corridor and the only other person who was in this part of the corridor was asked about it they claimed not to have heard it or been the cause of it.

When Jay was in the upper corridor after we’d swapped around, there was little to report other than a sound like somebody was walking around inside some of the rooms (creaky floorboards etc) when everyone outside on the corridor were sat still. All the rooms appeared locked and there should not have been anybody present in any of the rooms.

There was one thing of note - One of the stories that surround the Schooner Hotel is that of the famous "Schooner Growl". No explanation has ever been given (certainly as far as we're aware - correct us if we're wrong) as to the source of the Schooner Growl. It does sound exactly like "something" growling. End of. We'd heard the growl on a previous investigation on the night of the "Dancing Wardrobe".

We heard it again on the upstairs corridor and everyone who was present heard it also. A low and long growl sounding very much coming from the throat of a dog. Again - no explanation for the sound could be found.

Group 2

NGIers - Claire

Guests - Lyndsey, David, Jamie, Catilin,Gillian, Linda

Claire showed the guests the corridors they had access to and said a few of the rooms on them that were open could be used then left the group whilst she went back to room 28 to collect a Ouija board, however the group in there were using it so she returned empty handed.

The group all said they had heard a noise coming from one of the empty locked room, and then when they had tried the door again it was open and empty. This was on the top corridor. Claire felt there was a lot of energy up there and suggested doing another energy circle down at the bottom end.

The group joined hands, Claire had Dave on her right and Caitlin on her left hand, Claire did the 'twitch' exercise again and started calling out. Caitlin remarked that Claires hand was so hot it was making hers go numb and burning it. Several times Claire checked her hand but it was cold to touch, and several times Caitlin complained that Claires hand was burning hers. At one point Claire got Caitlin to swap places and Dave held her left hand and Jamie her right, Dave noticed no difference in temperature in Claires hands, and Claire didn’t feel anything odd about with her hand at any time. Caitlin didn't experience anything whilst holding anyone else’s hand.

Dave had remarked that Jamie was shaking and freezing when holding his hand, and kept asking him if he was ok, to which he was replying slowly and in a 'delayed/distant' manner that he was. Claire noticed immediately in touching his hand that he was freezing and seemed 'monged out'. Claire sensed that he was feeling the way she had in room 28 earlier on, and whilst Jamie was monitored by the group so long as he felt fine that he would be. Caitlin then resumed her original position and Dave resumed his, and on and off for the rest of the circle Caitlin remarked that at times Claires hand felt like it was burning her.

Several things were experienced by the group, individually and as a whole:

Lyndsey picked up on a male figure bent over the stairwell looking down it (Caitlin and Linda also had sensed someone in that area).

Lyndsey saw an orange glow come from down the stairs like there was a ground floor fire and the heat shimmer was coming up the staircase (Claire and Caitlin had also seen 'shimmering' in that area).

Lyndesy heard the door to Room 22 'crack', for which no cause could be found,at times she felt a strong draught on her legs from the staircase, and saw black and white 'pixels' in the staircase area.

David sensed a child on a tricycle, got the name 'Matthew' and saw the figure of a small dog.

All the group saw that during the circle there were dark patches between and over Caitlin and Linda which seemed to move and come in and out, Caitlin and Linda both felt something was behind them and didn’t want to turn around or stay where they were, so at times the circle was moved in a clockwise direction so they didn’t have to have their backs to the stair-end of the corridor.

All the group saw what looked like a 'black hole' of 'darkness' in the centre of the circle, which lasted for about 10 minutes and was constantly seen by all present even whan the group was moving etc, no cause for it was found, and all 'felt' it as well as saw it.

All (except Claire who had her back to it) said the door to Room 22 'disappeared' and it was as if there was no door, just a dark room behind it, when the circle moved Claire saw this also briefly.

No environmental causes were found for the visual things observed at the time (lighting/shadows/architectural shapes etc) were ruled out,and no suggestions were given for this. There will have been 'leading' as people said what they were getting, but Claire held back on things and was surprised when others described exactly what she was getting also.No suggestions direct or indirect had been given for any of the experiences during the night in any way.

At one point everyone present heard a noise which they all described as a 'growl' (except Claire,who heard it more as a 'grunt'),but it was clear, and there was only the group present in that wing of the hotel at the time, as they checked before, during and after.

Jay joined the group at the end of the vigil for the last 10 minutes, as the vigil ran over because so many things were being experienced (whatever they were) and said what people were describing was very similar to what his group had experienced there.

Jamie got quieter and colder throughout the vigil and began shaking quite violently, and seemed very distant and distracted. This was very unusual for him according to him and his family.

Group 3

NGIers - Carol

Guests - various

John the "guest" medium joined the group again for this particular location. John commented that he "doesn't like this corridor". He felt that a presence was "hanging around" and "watching" and that someone or thing "follows you". John commented that it was a Male. John, and a few of the guests went upstairs to the corridor on the next level. John felt a thin guy who was slightly balding but, who had a lot of hair on the side of his face was in this location. He also said that this guy had a "beaky nose". A guest (Simon) could feel a lot of movement when he sat in the alcove that John had sat in previously- opposite door number 14.

John had a stiff neck and felt uncomfortable. However, when John went downstairs he didn't feel uncomfortable and returned back to normal. When ALL the group were downstairs and Carol (NGI) called out, a noise (tapping sound) was heard from the upstairs corridor. A few members of the group went back upstairs at this point. Sharon could smell a "sweet caramel" aroma at the end of the upstairs corridor. Previously a number of guests had tried ALL the doors on the upstairs corridor but when the group went up again later, 2 of the doors were unlocked- 21 & 23.

Earlier on John had sat on a chair in the corridor upstairs, opposite room 21 - which was a store room. John commented that it "looked ajar"- but on inspection it was locked.

The Schooner Hotel - 2009 - Pre Invo Vigil/Medium Walkabout

Pre-Investigation Musings by Claire

On the stairs to the top corridor (room 20) Claire remembered a dream she'd had about them.

In room 29 whilst taking photos of the bathroom doorway Claires 'camera' wouldn't focus properly, took it 3 attempts to get an unblurred picture despite all the others being fine. She put it down to the lighting being different in the bathroom and went on to room 28. John was in there 'opening up' so after checking he was happy with her taking pictures Claire continued to take 3-4 photos in here unblurred. Claire then stood opposite John in the chair to the immediate right of the door (where he was sensing something around him) and again her pictures were blurred. Claire took 5-6 photos of him there and all were blurred.No 'reason' for this could be found, the lighting conditions were the same as in the rest of the room where several unblurred photos were able to be taken and there was no 'movement'. John asked Claire to try with the camera on his phone, which Claire proceeded to do, but found his phone was off. When she asked him how to switch it on John said he had not turned his phone off at all, it had been on since the day before and he'd had no reason to turn it off and could not remember doing so, or having any need or reason to do so. All pictures taken of him by Claire using his phone were unblurred, as were the 2 Claire took immediately after of him again using her camera phone.

The Schooner Hotel

The Schooner Hotel
On the medium walkabout in room 32 Claire smelt the 'ginger' smell whilst stood in the corner next to the chest of drawers. Claire asked if other people could smell anything, most replied a 'musty' smell,3 people mentioned 'incense' and John said it reminded him of soap. There were toiletries and things in the room on the sides and on the bed.Claire said the smell she had was very specific but wouldn’t say what it was so that if someone else said they could smell ginger also Claire knew she'd not influenced them.

*Just to note, on the 2nd medium walkabout (which I didn’t do),guests in my group (who went on it) said that John had remarked that the room didn’t have any smell to it then. I never smelt anything in there at any other time, and I was in there about 4-5 other separate times apart from the walk around and vigil.

After putting the equipment in room 32 pre vigils Carol and Claire decided to leave the key in the door (as the lock could not be set so the room remained unlocked when the door was shut).Claire saw Carol shut the door and they left it with the key in the lock, bright yellow plastic fob dangling.

About 15-20 minutes later Claire went to the room to take pictures and saw the key had gone, so couldn’t get in. Presuming Carol had decided to take the key (as this was her groups first location) she asked her for the key, to which Carol replied that she hadn't got it. Claire then asked all NGI members and John, but none of them had the key or had been up to the room since. Carol asked the staff if they had taken the key (this was near the Managers flat and Claire had passed staff in this area when taking pictures),but all of them said they had not touched it, and Carol was given the spare key for room 32 by them, which Claire kept on her with the other 3 room keys in her pocket and handed in together with them at the end of the night.