'How I met the ghost of No10': Member of staff speaks about Downing Street 'spirit'
By Tim Pedley
Listen to this unnerving story from a member of staff at No10 Downing Street who tells how in the darkness he 'felt the presence of someone else in the room'
If you're of a nervous disposition then make sure you have all the lights on and just check over your shoulder to make sure there really is no one there...
Now you can listen to David's tale of what happened to him at No10 Downing Street. He sounds level-headed, rational, and didn't believe in the supernatural – until his encounter very early one morning in the darkness of the Small Dining Room.
Now he says: "I can’t explain it. It’s something I don’t often relate to people because it still sends shivers up my spine."
David, now Facilities Manager at No10, had just joined the staff when he had his strange encounter. He went in to the Small Dining Room at around 6am to check preparations for an event. He saw that lights had been left on in an adjacent room and went to investigate.
Spooky Story: A member of staff has spoken about ghostly goings-on at No10 Downing Street
He said: "As I crossed the Small Dining Room to the two large doors that open up into the State Dining Room I passed the end of the table, and absolutely jumped out of my skin because someone walked past me.
"I’m talking about a space of a couple of feet, but because of the darkness I hadn’t seen the person. On spinning round, the light from the door I had entered through showed I was on my own.
"What really got my attention was that I heard the sound of a taffeta dress moving/rustling, and without wishing to sound dramatic, definitely felt a presence. Nothing malicious, or otherwise, but it definitely felt like someone was with me.
"So, about two hours later, I was joined by one of my colleagues and still buzzing with the earlier experience, related this to him, to which he said: 'Oh, you have seen the ghost.'
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Ghostly Goings-on: The spooky incident happened in the Small Dining Room of the countrys most famous address
"He then proceeded to tell me that there is a lady in a white ballgown who goes between the State Dining Room and the Pillared Room.
"With the short period of time I had worked at No10, this was news to me, and as I said, I’m the kind of person who is sceptical of this kind of thing without some kind of evidence.
"Except that it happened to me. I can’t explain it.
Since then I’ve read up in a few London ghost books, it’s all mentioned, so maybe, just maybe, I’ve met the Lady in White!
"The following week, I made a point of coming down to the state rooms after evening receptions when the lights were off, to try and re-create the moment, and, here I am, thirteen years later and, I haven’t had any further contact."
