http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354393/Storm-Surge-ghost-sightings-workmen-force-Thorpe-Park-ride.html
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 4:48 PM on 7th February 2011
A headless monk, a sudden chill, objects moving of own accord.
A new ride at an amusement park? No, the strange, seemingly
paranormal, behaviour was experienced by workmen building a water
ride at Thorpe Park, one of the country's biggest theme parks.
There were reports of workers feeling like someone was watching
over their shoulder and sudden cold feelings being experienced.
As a result of the ghostly sightings, and fears that an ancient
burial ground has been disturbed, the project was moved to another
site.
This image was taken at Monk's Walk in Thorpe Park by the South
West London Paranormal Society team who investigated the site. They
said the vague white mist appeared in a number of images but was
not visible to the naked eye. However, they did add that it could
just as likely be to do with the weather as the
paranormal
A figure (circled) appears in a photo of one of the investigation
team (right). 'Is this just mist, or someone passing by? You
decide' is the question posed by the group which investigated the
claims of a headless monk wandering around the theme
park
A paranormal detection agency was then called in to the park in
Chertsey, Surrey, to carry out tests and found that a burial ground
or settlement could have been disturbed.
Managers at the park decided
to relocate the ride to another area of the park and also called in
a forensic team to carry out further investigations.
The 64ft-tall water ride,
Storm Surge, was originally planned for an area known as Monk's
Walk, an old footpath that has linked the ruins of nearby Chertsey
Abbey to Thorpe Church since AD666.
Forensic
geophysicist Peter Masters, seen here in Thorpe Park, has been
called in to analyse the site, using deep ground radar. He said:
'From the preliminary investigations, we have picked up signatures
similar to that of a burial ground - possibly ancient'
Managers at Thorpe
Park decided to relocate the ride to another area of the park after
reports of paranormal behaviour
The ride's foundations would
have been over an area of the park where stone coffins have
previously been excavated.
'The results were so
strong, we felt the only explanation could be that an ancient
burial ground or settlement was being disturbed, prompting the
extra paranormal activity'
Mike Vallis, divisional
director of Thorpe Park, said: 'It became apparent that something
strange was going on when teams started clearing Storm Surge's
initial site.
'Staff reports of eerie
goings-on shot up and the only physical change in the park, at that
time, was the beginning of ground preparation work for the new
ride.
'As employees were getting
freaked out, we decided to call on an expert to see whether there
was anything to report but had no idea of the dramatic
effects.'
Jim Arnold, of South West
London Paranormal, said: 'We carry out these kinds of
investigations quite regularly, with medium to weak results being
reported on a weekly basis.
'Thorpe Park, however, was
more striking as results were picked up immediately, with orbs,
ghostly images in photography and ouija reaction results being
strongest around the site where they were proposing to build Storm
Surge.
'The results were so strong,
we felt the only explanation could be that an ancient burial ground
or settlement was being disturbed, prompting the extra paranormal
activity.'
Forensic geophysicist Peter
Masters, of Cranfield University, has since been called in to
analyse the site, using deep ground radar.
He said: 'From the
preliminary investigations, we have picked up signatures similar to
that of a burial ground - possibly ancient.
'Although this could simply
be an old building, with Thorpe Park's history, the investigation
is definitely worth continuing.'
Visitors savouring
one of the rides at the theme park. Mike Vallis, divisional
director of Thorpe Park, said: 'It became apparent that something
strange was going on when teams started clearing Storm Surge's
initial site'