IS THERE ANYBODY THERE?
YOU'D expect to find spirits in a pub, but not necessarily the ghostly
kind.But drinkers at the Travellers Rest pub in Swinton have been
experiencing some strange goings on - and it's not because they've had
one too many. Times reporter LEE PEACE investigates.

IN THE two months since Paul Turner and Sheila Woodcock took over the
Traveller's Rest pub, they have become convinced that it is haunted.They
claim to have seen shadowy apparitions, say that glasses have been
thrown when no one was around and may have even captured the ghost on
camera.Paul, 54, a former market trader and self-proclaimed believer in
ghosts, and partner Sheila, 49, spoke to the Times in the pub about
their experiences."It is really spooky," said Paul:

"Now and again you just get this feeling that there is a presence,
especially when we are in on our own."The temperature drops suddenly and
the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. It feels as though you're
being watched.""We had only been at the pub a couple of weeks when one
evening, out of nowhere, one of the glasses threw itself off the shelf
across the bar and onto the floor. A customer was standing with me at
the bar when it happened and we just looked at each other gone out. The
same happened again the next day.""We didn't think much of it, but other
things started to happen over the next few weeks," said Sheila: "On one
occasion I was in the flat above the pub and it was as though I was
locked in one of the rooms. I had the key and unlocked it from the
inside but I pulled at the door and it wouldn't budge, it was as though
someone was pushing from the other side but there was only me in the
flat. Luckily Paul heard me and came up to let me out."On other
occassions they have seen figures walk into the pub but when they went
through to serve them no-one was there.In the run-up to Halloween, more
strange things started happening.Paul said: "I was standing near the
pool table on my own when one of the pool cues which was up against the
wall shot about 5ft across the floor.

This had also happened a couple of weeks previous when a bunch of cues
did the same they just slid out across the floor."So came Halloween
night and Sheila's son Darren was putting up decorations in the pub when
he saw a grey figure standing near a fire door. Within seconds it was
gone.Said Paul: "Darren came to tell us about it and he was quite shook
up - he was as white as a sheet."Later that night they took photos of
visitors dressed up in costume, but when the picture came back a bright
yellow and orange aura could be seen on many of them.

"We are not sure what it is on the photos but it could be the ghost - we
can't explain it."So who is this ghostly visitor? It is believed it
could be one of the pub's earliest landladies, Fanny Knowles.The pub is
believed to be one of the oldest in the Dearne Valley, dating back to
the 18th century.It is believed Mrs Knowles was in charge of the pub
when the old building was knocked down and the current building was
being constructed on the same site prior to the

First World War.Local historians say Mrs Knowles was the licensee for a
number of years, but they have been unable to trace any more details
about her life.Our picture is taken from a framed photo of Mrs Knowles
which was found in a storage room by one of the bar staff soon after the
couple took over the pub.But they refuse to hang it up because of "bad
omens".Paul said: "Our regulars all know about the story of the ghost.
They have said that owners in previous years used to hang the picture up
but took it down because odd things started happening."So we keep it
where we found it, face down in the store room."In May 2005, with the
co-operation of the previous owners, a 'Most Haunted' style paranormal
investigation was carried out which caught on tape various shadows and
'orbs' (floating lights believed to represent paranormal energy).Paul
said he would now like to see another investigation carried out to try
and discover more about their ghostly visitor."We would like to see if
there is anything there. We don't mind the ghost being there, so long as
it doesn't start taking the drinks!"