Wyrd News: From a Haunted Island to the Bennington Triangle

In the world of the mysterious and unexplained, the strangest stories often emerge from the most unlikely places. From a tiny, abandoned island with a truly grim history to a sprawling forest where people disappear without a trace, here are some of the weirdest stories making headlines.

A Night on Poveglia Island

Off the coast of Italy lies Poveglia, an island with a terrifying past. It was once a quarantine station for plague victims and later a mental hospital where horrific experiments were said to have taken place. Today, Poveglia is considered one of the most haunted places on Earth.

Recently, a YouTuber reportedly spent a night on the island, armed with ghost-detecting tools. The atmosphere was said to be overwhelmingly eerie, with crumbling buildings and a feeling of dread in the air. The YouTuber claimed their equipment malfunctioned, and they received a chilling message in Italian telling them to "leave." The unsettling experience highlights the enduring legend of the island's many dead and its reputation as a place where the veil between worlds is thin.

The Mystery of the Bennington Triangle

The infamous Bermuda Triangle has a lesser-known, but equally baffling, counterpart in rural Vermont. Known as the Bennington Triangle, this area has been the site of a series of mysterious disappearances dating back to the 1870s. The most chilling cases revolve around the "Bennington Five," a group of people who vanished within five years of each other with no apparent connection.

The strange circumstances of their disappearances defy logical explanation. An elderly hunter, Middy Rivers, vanished with only his handkerchief found. A young college student, Paula Jane Walden, disappeared while hiking, despite being spotted on the trail just moments before. In one of the most bizarre cases, James Tedford, a passenger on a bus, simply vanished between stops, leaving his luggage behind.

Theories abound as to what happened. A serial killer is deemed unlikely due to the varied backgrounds and circumstances of the disappearances. Instead, locals speak of Native American burial grounds, strange glowing orbs, and a Bigfoot-like creature known as the Glastonbury Monster. Some believe the disappearances are caused by wormholes or other otherworldly phenomena. The Bennington Triangle remains an unsolved mystery that continues to haunt both locals and armchair detectives alike.

Harvest: A Horrifying Tale from the Welsh Triangle

Welcome to a story so disturbing and far-fetched that its author, a veteran of the paranormal genre, retired after writing it. This is the tale of Susan and her terrifying encounters, as documented in the book Harvest by G.L. Davis. It's a story that blurs the line between reality and nightmare, taking place in the heart of the enigmatic Welsh Triangle, a region notorious for its strange occurrences.

A Nightmarish Encounter

The ordeal began in November 2009. Susan and three friends, seeking a quiet getaway from university life, rented a secluded farmhouse in Haverfordwest. As the night deepened, a sudden blackout plunged the house into darkness, only to be punctuated by a blinding, otherworldly light. Though the lights soon returned, a more unsettling truth began to emerge: their phones were all dead, and a peculiar chunk of time seemed to be missing.

Hours later, at 3:18 a.m., Susan awoke to a horrifying scene. A small, shadowy figure stood at the foot of her bed. Six beams of pure white light descended from the skylight, illuminating the room. Her dog, Lenny, engaged in a desperate struggle with an unseen force before a high-pitched shriek and an inhuman scream echoed through the night. A final flash of light revealed a grotesque, featureless face hovering inches from her own.

The physical aftermath was just as terrifying. Susan was left with a pounding headache, sharp pains in her back, and a suite of debilitating symptoms including persistent nausea, eye inflammation, and frequent nosebleeds. Lenny was never seen again.

A Cycle of Visions

Susan's encounters didn't end there. A month later, while driving with her friend Adrian, a strange orange light appeared over Hobbs Point harbour, stalling their car before shooting vertically into the night sky. Local reports from that night corroborated the sighting, lending a chilling air of authenticity to her story.

The experiences then bled into her dreams, creating a disturbing cycle of visions that included:

• An encounter with her deceased grandmother in a mysterious pub, who gave her an urgent warning to "help my friends."

• A surreal scene in a cinema where a film showed a horrifying close-up of ants swarming and "harvesting" a struggling spider, tearing its body apart.

• A prophetic dream of a jellyfish-like creature with tendrils that hovered over her sleeping aunt, before attacking her beloved cat, Moggs. The cat died the next day.

• A dream where she was questioned by a child version of herself with a series of deeply unsettling questions.

The Harvest

The climax of Susan's ordeal came during what she believed was a final abduction. She was transported to a surreal, blood-red landscape where she was one of hundreds of women of different ages and ethnicities. They were all herded into a vast, terrifying facility where some were subjected to horrific procedures. Susan believed these women were being "harvested" for their bodily fluids or even their newborns, destined to become prey for alien entities. She claimed to have witnessed unthinkable horrors before she blacked out. When she awoke, only three minutes had passed in the real world.

An Unsettling Conclusion

This chilling account challenges belief, and the hosts admit they were initially skeptical, given its fictional feel. They debate whether the author, G.L. Davis, wrote the book for money or because he was so affected by Susan's unwavering belief in her own story that he had to document it. The story gains a degree of plausibility from the fact that before the book was released, similar details (red-hooded figures, orange orbs, and terrifying apparitions) were being shared on private forums by others who claimed to have had similar experiences.

While the hosts acknowledge the possibility that Susan's experiences could be a manifestation of a disturbed mind or extreme sleep paralysis, they find the sheer darkness of the narrative compelling. They point to the grim statistic that half a million under-21s go missing in the US every year, suggesting that while many are runaways, the number leaves an unsettling possibility open. It also begs the question of whether this is all a "big vegan agenda" designed to turn people off meat by showing a horrifying human-like "harvest."

Encounters of Their Own

The story of three-foot-tall beings resonated with Craig, who shared two of his own terrifying dreams. In one, small beings lifted the teepee he was sleeping in while camping. In another, a three-foot-tall creature appeared in his bedroom, and he was rendered speechless as he tried to communicate. These experiences reinforce the idea that whether through dreams or reality, the human mind is susceptible to these terrifying intrusions.

The hosts also note the frequent appearance of owls in alien encounter stories, joking that it's probably just people seeing a real owl on a dark country road. However, they also acknowledge that the creatures often precede abductions. Ultimately, the book ends with the chilling final email from Susan, who was embarking on what she called her "farewell tour," leaving her ultimate fate a chilling mystery.

The filly loo: A Modern Ritual with Ancient Roots

The Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, has been a moment of power and magic for millennia. From the precise alignment of Stonehenge to the bonfires and fertility rites that have marked the occasion for centuries, this is a day when the veil between our world and the supernatural is thought to be at its thinnest. This powerful ancient energy is still very much alive today, particularly in the tiny, secluded Dorset village of Ashmore, home to a strange and enduring celebration known as the filly loo.

A Village of Secrets

Ashmore, the highest village in Dorset, holds its secrets close. It is a place of long-held legends and folklore. One of the most intriguing tales concerns the Gabbagammies, bizarre little creatures said to have inhabited an ancient long barrow. When the barrow was destroyed to build a new road, strange sounds were heard until the bones were moved to the churchyard. However, no record of a reinterment exists, leading to speculation that the barrow may have been a "thin place" and the relocation of the remains had an impact on the strange happenings.

Another tale tells of a Woman in White who haunts the village's ponds. The legend says a woman was found hanging from an ash tree over the Washer’s Pit after a local squire had a series of distressing dreams. These old stories perfectly set the stage for the filly loo, an event with its own mysterious origins.

The Tradition of the filly loo

The name itself is a mystery, with theories ranging from a corruption of a local man’s name to the French "La Fille de Loo," or "daughter of the water," connecting it directly to the watery folklore of the village. I was even told that the event was originally to encourage the pond to refill, which is why they were "filling the loo." It strikes me as truly weird that a community continues this event year after year without a definitive purpose. It’s almost as if some ancient, ethereal presence demands or requires this ritual. My personal theory is that the filly loo is some great beast that lives deep within the murky waters of the pond, and by celebrating, they appease it for another year, keeping the children and local dogs safe.

The true heart of the filly loo is its incredible folk dance performances. The event features traditional English country dancing by a school called Steps in Time and the lively, bell-jangling White Horse Morris group. The clashing of sticks in Morris dancing is thought to mimic sword fights to drive away evil spirits, while the bells and ribbons are believed to attract good luck and celebrate fertility, perfectly aligning with the Solstice’s themes of renewal.

The most powerful moment, however, is the Horn Dance. This unique folk ritual, known most famously in Abbot’s Bromley, involves dancers with large reindeer antlers. It is thought to be a remnant of ancient pagan fertility or hunting rites. The dance’s melody has its own history, with one version known as "Robinson’s tune" being passed down from a 19th-century wheelwright and fiddle player who described it as ancient even in his own time.

Hearing it performed live during the event brought home a connection to something far older than ourselves. It was a feeling deeper and more meaningful than that of most modern pagan rituals, perhaps because it wasn't trying to look cool or perform authentically—it just was. Run out of a quiet, centuries-old impulse, it’s a living thread that connects us to past generations.

The Ghosts of West Kennet Long Barrow: Portals to the Past

Tucked into the ancient landscape of Wiltshire sits the West Kennet Long Barrow, a vast, chalk-white tomb that has stood for over 5,500 years. More than just a mound of earth and stone, this is a place steeped in history, archaeology, and a wealth of unnerving folklore.

An Ancient Resting Place

Built in the early Neolithic period as a communal burial site, the barrow once housed a mixture of men, women, and children. Archaeological digs in the 1950s uncovered disarticulated bones, leading to theories of "sky burial"—where bodies were left to be picked clean by birds—or a more ritualistic practice of rearranging bones. Evidence of feasts and celebrations, with scattered animal bones and fire pits, suggests the barrow was a place of ancestral veneration, not just a tomb. One particularly chilling discovery was the remains of a man from the barrow's early days, found with a broken arm and a flint arrowhead near his throat. Centuries later, the tomb was sealed, only for a second phase of burials to take place before it was ultimately abandoned.

A Wealthy Saxon Princess

The history of burial mounds in Wessex doesn't end in the Neolithic. Not far from West Kennet, a Saxon barrow near Bromham was found to hold the high-status remains of a woman, possibly a princess or abbess. The grave goods were exceptionally rich, including a gold necklace studded with garnets and amethyst. Even more unique was the fact that she was buried on a bed, with the charred remains of a dog, a cat, a horse, a fox, and a deer at each corner—a bizarre and mysterious mix of pagan and Christian practices.

Folklore and the Otherworld

The tales surrounding the West Kennet Long Barrow are as old as the tomb itself. One of the most persistent legends says that on the longest day of the year, a figure in a ghostly white robe, accompanied by a spectral hound with fiery eyes, emerges from the barrow at dawn. Some believe it's a guardian, while others swear it's a restless spirit. Another chilling tale, from the book Wiltshire Stories of the Supernatural, tells of a woman who entered the tomb and felt a silent, suffocating presence and an unseen force, which she described as a "portal to a hidden realm."

This idea of barrows as portals is common across Europe. Legends from Sussex, for instance, say the spirits of Viking leaders buried in the "Devil's Humps" wander the landscape. The tales of "fairy hills" across the UK warn against entering the barrows, and most importantly, against partaking of the food and drink of the Fae. The folklore is filled with stories of enchanted individuals, from a man who found gambling elves at Clay Hill to a man from Yorkshire who escaped a fairy feast with a mystical cup—a story so famous it was recorded by the chronicler William of Newborough.

The Wyrd News Round-up: Holy Grails, Haunted Dolls, and UFOs

In a world filled with chaos, there's always time for a bit of wyrd news. From filmmakers seeking the Holy Grail to a terrifyingly haunted doll, this week's wyrd news round-up has it all.

Seeking the Holy Grail in Hertfordshire

A new British horror film, The Last Grail Hunter, is set to premiere with a bold historical claim. The director, Mark Christopher Lee, says he believes he has found the actual resting place of the Holy Grail, and it’s somewhere near St. Albans. Lee's theory suggests the sacred relic, entrusted to Joseph of Arimathea, was recovered by the Knights Templar and smuggled to England, eventually ending up with Sir Francis Bacon, a key figure in the Rosicrucian Secret Society. Bacon was the Baron of Verulamium, the Roman name for St. Albans, and Lee claims to have found a forgotten Templar grave that he believes could mark the Grail's hiding place.

An Unsettling Tour for Annabelle

Across the pond, a bizarre story from Louisiana has captured the internet's attention. A touring ghost tour company brought the allegedly haunted Annabelle doll to New Orleans for a sold-out event. However, online jokes about the doll's visit quickly turned serious when a fire destroyed the Nottoway plantation and ten inmates escaped from a local jail. People on social media began blaming the doll, leading to death threats against the ghost tour company. The doll’s caretakers have since debunked the rumour, confirming the doll is safely in its case, but the absurdity of the situation highlights the unsettling power of belief.

The Big Cat of Worcestershire

Back in the UK, a local story out of Worcestershire has residents worried about a "big cat on the prowl." The fear began after a mutilated animal carcass was found, and at least one local resident commented that disembowelling prey before eating it is "classic big cat behaviour." However, a closer look at the carcass suggests the animal was dismembered and eaten over time, a strong indicator of scavenging by common animals like foxes.

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in Greenland

In more unsettling news, a Danish UFO researcher has brought forth new footage of what he claims is an "anomalous object" filmed rising from behind a mountain in southern Greenland. The remote region has a history of mysterious sightings, often witnessed by pilots and air traffic controllers. Most notably, the researcher claims that Danish and American authorities are refusing to cooperate or share data on the unidentified aerial phenomena in the region, adding a geopolitical layer to the mystery. The researcher is working on a film to explore the sightings, their implications, and how they affect the people who witness them.

Politics and the Paranormal

Finally, a truly weird connection has emerged between politics and the paranormal. The new chairman of the political party Reform UK, David Bull, is a former doctor and media personality who once hosted the paranormal reality show Most Haunted Live. The news has sent a shiver down the spine of some, highlighting the strange paths that people from the supernatural world can find themselves on.

The Premonitions Bureau: Can We Foretell Disaster?

What if a dream or a sudden, unexplained feeling could warn you of a terrible event? This was the question that obsessed Dr John Barker, a well-regarded British psychiatrist with a deep and unsettling interest in the paranormal. The culmination of this obsession was the Premonitions Bureau, a fascinating and ultimately tragic experiment to prove that foretelling disaster was not just possible, but potentially common.

The Aberfan Tragedy

Barker’s journey began in the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster, a horrific event that took place on October 21st, 1966. In a small Welsh village, a massive mountain of coal waste collapsed, engulfing a primary school and killing 144 people, 116 of them children. It was a tragedy of unimaginable scale, and Barker, who was researching a book on the phenomenon of dying from fear, was drawn to the village.

While there, he heard deeply disturbing accounts of foreknowledge. A small boy, Paul Davis, who died in the school, had drawn a picture the night before of masked figures digging in the hillside with the chilling words “The End” written beneath. Even more visceral was the story of ten-year-old Errol May Jones, who told her mother the day before her death: “I dreamt I went to school and there was no school there. I think Blackford had come down all over it.” The consistency of these premonitions, and others about the sinking of the Titanic and the R-101 airship, convinced Barker that he had to act.

A Horrifying Run of Hits

In partnership with Peter Fairley, the science editor for London’s Evening Standard, Barker launched an appeal, asking for any dreams or visions of disaster. The response was immediate and overwhelming. Letters poured in, and Barker received 76 replies to his initial Aberfan appeal. Of those, 22 of the 60 plausible premonitions had been described before the tragedy took place. This was enough for Barker. He and Fairley approached the editor of the Evening Standard with a bold new idea: to open a permanent Premonitions Bureau.

The Bureau's first major hit came in March 1967. A man named Alan Hencher, a GPO telephone exchange operator, had a vision of a plane with “sweeping tail fins” crashing within three weeks, killing more than 60 people. Thirty-four days later, the prophecy was grimly fulfilled when a British Midland Argonaut crashed in Stockport, killing 72 people.

The hits kept coming. A woman named Miss Middleton had a vision of a “tremendous conflagration” and “flames leaping 100 feet high” at a large building with huge girders. At the very moment she sent her letter, the Innovation department store in Brussels went up in flames, killing 251 people in Belgium's worst peacetime disaster. Both Alan Hencher and Miss Middleton also had visions of a mainline rail crash. Hencher saw two carriages come to rest “one on top of the other,” while Miss Middleton had a vision of “a crash” at “Charing Cross.” On November 5th, a train derailed at Hither Green, just eight miles from Charing Cross, killing 49 people.

Perhaps most chillingly of all, on April 23rd, 1967, Miss Middleton had a vision of an astronaut on his way to the moon, writing that the “venture will end in tragedy.” Around the very same time, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov was in orbit in the Soyuz 1 spacecraft. After a harrowing flight, his parachute failed to deploy, and he plummeted to Earth, becoming the first person to die during a space flight. It was an absolute disaster, and Miss Middleton had seen it coming.

The Human Cost and a Tragic End

The predictions were coming true, but at a severe emotional cost to the percipients. Alan Hencher’s nervous system was fraying under the strain of his “torment.” He felt exploited by the Bureau and, along with Miss Middleton, demanded more recognition. Their frustration culminated in a final hit that was Miss Middleton’s most chillingly accurate prediction of all. On June 4th, 1968, she called the Bureau three times warning of an imminent assassination. That night, after winning the California primary, Robert Kennedy was shot and killed.

The pressure on John Barker was also immense. He suffered terrible headaches but kept working from his hospital bed. On the night of July 27th, Miss Middleton had another premonition: she dreamt of her deceased parents taking her to a black car and pushing her away, a vision she took to mean the passing of “someone close to her.” When she woke, she was in a trance-like state and posted a note to the Bureau with a single line: “This may mean death.”

Just a few weeks later, on August 20th, 1968, John Barker collapsed in his home after a vessel burst in his brain. He died in hospital, and the final premonition from Miss Middleton was of his own death. The Bureau’s star percipients dropped out of the project soon after. The experiment continued for a time under his assistant, Jennifer Preston, who catalogued over 3,000 predictions. But despite all the hits and forewarnings, no disaster was ever officially prevented by its means.Barker's dream died with him, a final, tragic irony to a project that was always a proper mind-bender.

Friday the 13th: Unlucky for Some, Deadly for Many

For centuries, Friday the 13th has been a date shrouded in a veil of bad luck and misfortune. While the exact origins of this potent superstition are lost to history, its roots are a tangled web of cultural beliefs and historical events that have cemented its sinister reputation. This ominously-named day is a perfect example of our human desire to find meaning and patterns in the world's most random and horrific events.

The fear of Friday the 13th is a powerful blend of two separate superstitions. In Christian tradition, Friday is marked by the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, while the number 13 is forever associated with betrayal, thanks to Judas Iscariot, the thirteenth apostle to join the Last Supper. This double-whammy of bad luck has manifested in countless ways, from buildings skipping the 13th floor to the mythical death of a guest if 13 people gather at a dinner table. In an effort to defy this superstition, a club was formed in the 1880s where members, including five US presidents, would gather for a meal of 13 people on the 13th of the month. According to one unsubstantiated rumour, the club's very first meeting ended in a tragic accident that claimed all 13 lives.

Beyond superstition, this infamous date has been linked to some of history's most catastrophic events. Perhaps the most famous is the coordinated arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307. The powerful and wealthy religious order was accused of heresy and other heinous crimes by the French King Philip IV, who was eager to seize their assets. The Knights were arrested, tortured, and forced to confess, leading to the dissolution of the order and the execution of many of its leaders.

More recently, Friday the 13th has been tied to events of equal peril. The Bola Cyclone, one of the deadliest storms ever recorded, struck Bangladesh on Friday, November 13, 1970, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. Just two years later, a plane crash in the Andes on Friday, October 13, 1972, left survivors to face extreme conditions that led them to resort to cannibalism.

For some, the date is more than just a link to historical tragedies—it's a source of modern-day hauntings. The Stockbridge Bypass, a road in England opened on a Friday the 13th in 1988, has since become a notorious hotspot for paranormal activity. Security guards and police officers have reported sightings of spectral children and a terrifying, cloaked figure with a featureless face. The ghostly occurrences have continued to this day, making the road a grim tribute to its ominous opening.

Whether you're a believer in superstition or a fan of the iconic horror franchise, there's no denying that Friday the 13th has a compelling and eerie history.

AfterWyrd News: From Psychoactive Cures to Penis Debates

Welcome, Wyrdo's, to a round-up of the most peculiar stories from the latest episode of our bonus show, AfterWyrd. From mind-bending medicine to a millennium-old mystery, we're diving headfirst into the weirdness.

LSD: From Psychedelic Trips to Brain Repair

When we think of LSD, we don't typically imagine it as a cure for schizophrenia, but that's exactly where a new scientific discovery is heading. Researchers at UC Davis have been "mucking about" with the atoms of LSD, performing what they cheekily call a "tyre rotation" to create a new compound called JRT. This isn't about tripping balls; it’s about a potential game-changer. The new compound has shown promise in regrowing brain cells and mending neural pathways in mice, all without the hallucinogenic side effects. It’s a fascinating twist that connects to the growing interest in using psychedelics for mental health treatments, a field once relegated to the fringes but now firmly in the mainstream.

A Ghost's Doomsday Prophecy

In a tale that would give John Keel a run for his money, a woman known as “Cassie” claims to have been communicating with a ghost named “Seven” via a Ouija board for over a decade. This isn't just a friendly chat, though—the spirit has a sinister prediction: the world will end in a nuclear blast. What makes this story particularly spooky is that the ghost has supposedly made contact with humanity twice before to warn of impending doom, including at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The fact that the end-of-the-world date came and went a few weeks ago without incident is, as we discovered, a common problem for doomsday cults. Still, we can’t deny that the story, with its talk of ancient languages and binary code, is a truly wyrd slice of modern folklore.

Bayeux Tapestry: Dagger or Penis?

And finally, we took on a historical debate of the utmost importance: the true nature of a certain shape on the Bayeux Tapestry. Two historians are at loggerheads over whether a black, dangling object beneath a running man’s tunic is the scabbard of a dagger or the 94th penis to be found on the famous embroidery. While one scholar insists it's a weapon sheath, the other is convinced it is an "anatomically fulsome" male member. After a heated discussion and some questionable Google searches, we’re still not 100% on a conclusion. What we do know is that a heated debate about a millennium-old embroidery proves that history is anything but boring.

The Mothman Prophecies: From Omen to Enduring Mystery

The winged creature with piercing red eyes known as the Mothman is one of the most enigmatic figures in American folklore. Its origins are in a chilling series of events that unfolded in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, starting in 1966. For thirteen months, a small community was thrust into a real-life nightmare, culminating in a tragedy that would forever cement the Mothman’s reputation as a harbinger of doom.

The First Sightings

The phenomena began on the night of November 14th, 1966. Two couples, Roger and Linda Scarbury and Steve and Mary Mallette, were driving near the abandoned munitions plant known as the "TNT area." As they drove, they were suddenly terrorised by a towering, winged figure with unnervingly large, glowing red eyes. The creature, which they estimated to be six and a half to seven feet tall, rose from the ground with immense wings that unfolded behind it.

"It just rose up straight up like a helicopter," the Wyrdo's recounted, capturing the sheer impossibility of the moment. The creature then took off, pursuing their car at speeds of up to 100 mph, its wings remaining eerily motionless. The car chase was a nightmarish game of cat and mouse, with the terrified couples eventually making it to the sheriff's office.

Another harrowing encounter followed just two nights later. Marcella Bennett was driving her daughter home when the creature appeared from behind a parked car. She was so traumatised by the sight that she dropped her baby daughter. She later claimed to hear a "horrifying woman-like scream" emanating from the creature and reported recurring nightmares about it visiting her isolated home.

The Interconnected Web

As John Keel delved deeper, the Mothman was revealed to be just one thread in a complex tapestry of paranormal activity. Witnesses described a range of bizarre occurrences beyond the physical sightings. One chilling tangent involved Connie Carpenter, who, after her own encounter with the creature, was visited by a "mysterious classic car with a sleek new interior." A suited man tried to grab her, and the next day she found a sinister note under her door: "Be careful, girl. I can get you yet." This terrifying brush with the Men in Black, a phenomenon often associated with UFOs, hinted at a darker, more orchestrated force at play.

The paranormal activity seemed to grow in intensity, as seen with Mabel McDaniel's family, who had an original encounter with the creature. Their home became a hotbed of paranormal activity, with strange cigar smoke smells, objects moving inexplicably, and shadowy figures lurking in the night—phenomena often associated with UFO sightings.

The mystery deepened with the enigmatic figure of Indrid Cold, who was connected to the Mothman sightings by John Keel. The Wyrdo's mused on the oddness of the encounter and the man's "terrifying" face that was "devoid of a beak," highlighting the surreal nature of the phenomenon.

A Harbinger of Doom?

The most compelling aspect of the Mothman legend is its alleged role as a harbinger of disaster. One witness, Virginia Thomas, began having disturbing dreams of a sinister invasion, with strange figures around the river and trucks swarming across a bridge. Her visions grew more horrifying, depicting drowning victims and floating Christmas presents. She reported feeling that "something awful is about to happen."

On a fateful December 15th, 1967, her premonitions became a terrifying reality. During the evening rush hour, the Silver Bridge, a vital connection between Point Pleasant and Ohio, catastrophically collapsed, plunging vehicles into the icy water. The tragedy claimed the lives of 46 people, and as Virginia had seen in her dreams, Christmas presents were later seen floating in the river.

While an official investigation later revealed the collapse was due to a critical flaw in a single eyebar—a tragic engineering accident—the timing of the disaster and the fact that the Mothman sightings in the area ceased afterward led many to believe that the creature was a final warning.

The Return of a Legend

The Mothman sightings didn't end that day. After the Point Pleasant events, the creature has appeared at other locations before major disasters, including Chernobyl. But in recent years, it seems to have found a new home.

Since 2011, there has been a dramatic increase in Mothman sightings in Chicago, particularly around O'Hare Airport. Eyewitnesses—including a truck driver, a postal worker, and a firefighter—have reported encounters with a creature between six and ten feet tall, with a ten-foot wingspan, glowing red eyes, and a "hideous screech." The sheer number and consistency of these new accounts, including the detail of the creature "rising straight up like a helicopter," adds a layer of credibility to the claims.

The Wyrdo's debated whether these phenomena are truly a sign of a physical creature or a form of mass hysteria, where people are more likely to see what they expect to see. Either way, the detailed accounts from so many different people, including those with no prior knowledge of the Mothman legend, prove that something extraordinary is still happening.

Whether the Mothman is a mysterious cryptid, an interdimensional being, or a psychological manifestation of impending doom, its legend continues to captivate. As more information emerges, we may gain a clearer understanding of these enigmatic creatures and their potential origins.

The AfterWyrd News Roundup

Welcome to the AfterWyrd news desk, where we bring you the most bizarre and inexplicable stories from around the world. Your hosts, the Wyrdo's, have just returned from a mysterious expedition and, as always, they've stumbled upon a fresh batch of weirdness to share.

A Skull, A Ghost, and a Deer Cult

The episode opens with a truly peculiar acquisition: a haunted deer skull. Your host, Craig, recounts the story of how he traded a bag of butchery bones for the skull with a lady from Scotland. The trade wasn't a simple one; it required the lady to consult a crystal to ask the ghost inhabiting the skull if it wanted to come with him. Apparently, the ghost—believed to be a deer—said yes. This bizarre transaction led to a discussion of starting a "deer cult," a concept that seems less absurd the more you listen. It's a prime example of the kind of oddities that find their way into the Wyrd Wessex world.

The Panther Man of Merseyside

A figure in a skin-tight black catsuit has been sighted prowling around Wallasey Beach in Merseyside, leaving locals both confused and amused. Described as a "banshee" and an "urban jaguar," the mysterious person has been filmed meowing, writhing on the ground, and "prancing" along paths. The sightings have sparked a community-wide hunt, with residents armed with torches in search of the "Panther Man." The story has been widely reported by publications like the Metro and the Daily Star. This local legend taps into the wider British fascination with big cat sightings, a topic the Wyrdo's know all about.

A Venomous Bite, A Second Chance at Love

In a story that sounds straight out of a bizarre romance novel, an Australian snake hunter was bitten by a venomous tiger snake, causing him to suffer from temporary full retrograde amnesia. As a result, he completely forgot his girlfriend. After ten days of radio silence, she accused him of "ghosting" her, and he had to explain the near-fatal incident and his memory loss. The couple decided to start over, and in a sweet twist, fell in love all over again, with the man reporting a strange sensation of love "shooting" up his arm when he touched her hand.

The Hunt for Noah's Ark Continues

Finally, the Wyrdo's delve into a recurring theme: the supposed discovery of Noah's Ark. This latest claim comes from a team of American researchers who believe they have found the remains of the Ark in Turkey, using ground-penetrating radar. They report finding a "chemical imprint" and structures that align with the biblical description of a triple-decker vessel. The hosts discuss the epic of Gilgamesh, a much older flood story with similar details, and Craig shares a personal anecdote about a previous encounter with a creationist student who believed the Earth was only 6,000 years old.

The Human Drive: From Doping to Seagull Screeching

What compels us to push the boundaries of what's possible? From the grandest arenas of sport to the most obscure of competitions, the drive to test our limits—and sometimes defy logic—is a fundamental part of human nature. This week, we're taking a look at two recent stories that prove just how far that drive can take us.

The Enhanced Games: Redefining Athleticism

In Las Vegas, a new sporting event is set to change the very definition of elite competition. The Enhanced Games, founded by Australian entrepreneur Aron D'Souza, is a multi-sport event that openly allows, and even encourages, athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs. Billed as the "Olympics on steroids," this competition aims to push the boundaries of human athletic potential by removing the stigma and risks associated with the black market of PEDs. The idea is to create a new paradigm where science and sport collide, allowing athletes to safely become "superhuman."

With significant financial backing from figures like Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr., the games have sparked intense debate. For some, this is a dangerous and unethical step that erodes the principles of fair play. For others, it's a bold leap forward—a fascinating experiment to see what the human body is truly capable of when freed from traditional constraints. It's a real-life step toward a cyberpunk dystopia, but it's hard to look away.

A Champion of the Coastal Skies

On the other side of the competitive spectrum, a different kind of athlete is making headlines. A 10-year-old boy from Chesterfield in England, Cooper Wallace, has defended his title as the European Seagull Mimicking Champion. The young competitor, who gained the nickname "Seagull Boy," has become a viral sensation for his startlingly accurate, high-pitched squawk. His sister, Shelby, has also joined in on the family's quest for avian imitation glory, placing fourth in her category.

The competition, held in De Panne, Belgium, brings together competitors who are judged on both their uncanny impressions and their ability to act like the scavenging birds. Cooper's particular talent was inspired by a traumatizing childhood experience involving a seagull that stole his sandwich and nipped his finger—a story that feels straight out of a comic book origin story. The display serves as a hilarious reminder of the mundane horror of a beach trip—and the fact that those "shite hawks" will do anything to get their hands on your chips.

The Slender Man Stabbing: An In-Depth Look at a Tragic Case

WARNING: This article contains disturbing and violent content. Reader discretion is advised.

The Slender Man stabbing case, which took place on May 31, 2014, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a story of profound darkness, shattered innocence, and systemic failures. It is a tragedy that continues to resonate with a deeply unsettling intensity, born from a perfect storm of undiagnosed mental illness, online obsession, and a series of missed warnings.

A World of Ghosts and Demons

The story begins with Morgan Geyser, a child who, from a very early age, struggled to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Morgan, who has since transitioned and identifies as a transgender male, lived a life where his inner world was a constant battle. Unbeknownst to him, his father lived with schizophrenia, a condition that held a familial link. Even at the age of three, Morgan told his parents of ghosts pulling his hair and biting him. As he grew, his perceptions became more distorted; colors would appear to melt, and he would glimpse a terrifying, towering silhouette he simply called "It" in the bathroom mirror. His bedroom at night was often filled with disturbing visions of bone-white faces with empty black eye sockets, and his world was populated by a vivid cast of imaginary friends, including his primary companion, Maggie. These experiences left Morgan isolated at school, perceived as "weird" by other children.

Into this difficult reality stepped Peyton Leutner. Their unlikely friendship began at nine years old. While Morgan gravitated towards black clothing and books about serial killers, Peyton was a child who loved rainbows and butterflies. Yet, their shared love of cats formed a bond that made them inseparable for the next three years. In a deeply empathetic gesture, when Morgan confided in her about hearing voices, Peyton pretended to hear them too, solidifying a loyalty that would remain, even as their lives began to diverge.

The Genesis of a Shared Delusion

It was into this evolving dynamic that Anissa Weier entered. A child navigating her own complex life, she stumbled upon Creepypasta, a digital portal of fictional horrors and supernatural entities. Among the various beings she encountered, the figure of the Slender Man took hold. Commonly depicted as an unnaturally tall, thin figure with tentacle-like arms and a blank white face, he was rumored to possess the unsettling ability to teleport and induce "slender sickness"—a rapid onset of paranoia and delusions. The Slender Man's origin could be traced back to a Photoshop contest on an internet forum in 2009, but for Morgan and Anissa, the line between fiction and reality began to blur. Morgan started to create his own spin-offs, like "Offender Man" and "Splenderman," while Anissa embraced the fantasy of becoming Slender Man's "proxies," escaping their lives to reside in the fabled Slender Mansion.

To Anissa, the reason Morgan could perceive the Slender Man so vividly was self-evident: he was already a proxy. And in their young minds, the logic was terrifyingly clear: they had to kill for the Slender Man before he turned his deadly attention on them and everyone they held dear.

Missed Warnings and a Fatal Plan

The escalating symptoms of Morgan’s mental state were tragically overlooked. When he brought a wooden mallet to school, he was merely suspended. When he confided in his father about seeing demons, his father dismissed it as a lie to avoid punishment. His mother similarly brushed off conversations with Voldemort as "acting out." His behavior grew more bizarre—barking at other children, painting with his own blood, and frantic emails to Anissa pleading, "I'd like nothing more than to be put in a straitjacket. Help me." These were desperate cries for help that adults in his life either ignored or wrote off as "quirky adolescent antics."

The horrifying plan was set for the night of Morgan’s 12th birthday party. Anissa and Morgan had agreed this would be the night they would do "the deed." After a small gathering, Morgan and Anissa decided to go to a park. Morgan kissed his mother goodbye, saying, "I love you," and packed a winter coat, cereal bars, and a six-inch kitchen knife. In a public toilet stall, Anissa, copying a line from another Creepypasta character, Jeff the Killer, told Peyton to, "Shut your eyes. Go to sleep." But Morgan hesitated, whispering, "I can't do this. You have to do it."

The Attack and a Miracle of Survival

They eventually lured Peyton to an isolated spot in the woods with a game of hide-and-seek. Anissa first pushed Peyton down, then asked her to lie in the dirt to make the stabbing "easier." When Morgan arrived, he whispered to Anissa, "I can't do it. You have to." Then, with a terrifying swiftness, he pounced on Peyton. "I'm sorry," he stammered. "I have to do this. Someone from Creepypasta is stalking me." He plunged the knife into Peyton's chest, stomach, legs, and arms, a total of 19 times.

The attackers, lost in their distorted reality, assumed she would die silently, like in a movie. But she didn't. Her raw, continuous screaming filled the woods as she cried out in pain and disbelief, "Morgan, why did you do that? I can't breathe. I trusted you. I hate you all." Abandoning her with a lie that they were going to get help, Morgan and Anissa fled.

In what can only be described as a miracle, Peyton, despite her life-threatening injuries, managed to drag herself out of the woods to a nearby road. She was found by a cyclist who, for reasons unknown, had chosen to take a shortcut he normally avoided. When asked who had done this to her, Peyton's reply was, "My best friend." One of the stab wounds missed a major artery by less than a millimeter. The surgeon later stated that had it been a millimeter over, she would have died within minutes, never making it out of the woods to be found.

The Legal and Mental Health Battles

From the moment of their capture, the legal and mental health battles began. In stark contrast to Anissa, who expressed a mix of fear and relief that Peyton had survived, Morgan showed no remorse. During his five-hour interrogation, he smirked when asked if stabbing his friend was right or wrong, stating, "If it were right, I wouldn't be here now." In a police car, he would tell a terrified Anissa, "This is fun. This is just a game."

Morgan and Anissa were tried as adults, a decision that denied them access to the specialized care of the juvenile system. For 19 months, Morgan was denied crucial medication for his schizophrenia, a decision later deemed unethical by experts. His mental state continued to spiral, and he reportedly attempted suicide while in custody. It was only after his parents secured a court order that he was given medication, and his condition showed significant improvement.

Anissa was found not guilty by reason of insanity, based on a diagnosis of shared psychosis. Morgan later took the same path, and both were committed to mental health institutions—Anissa for 25 years and Morgan for a maximum of 40.

A Life of Resilience

Throughout the legal saga, the media's sensationalist coverage continued, often disregarding Peyton's survival. Sensational headlines screamed of "Slender Man murders," and petitions for the death penalty circulated widely, while hate mail was sent to Morgan's mother. It seems the public was determined to simplify a deeply complex case into a story of two monsters who had murdered an innocent girl.

Peyton, meanwhile, became a symbol of resilience. She not only survived her 19 stab wounds but has gone on to live a fulfilling life. In a 2020 interview, she stated that because of what happened, she now has the life she truly loves. She graduated from high school and is pursuing a career in medicine, a goal directly inspired by her experience.

Recent court hearings have brought the case back into the spotlight. Anissa was granted conditional release in 2021, and Morgan's own conditional release was recently put on hold due to concerns about his proposed placement just eight miles from where Peyton lives.

The Slender Man case stands as a powerful testament to the dangers of unchecked mental illness, the failures of the systems meant to protect children, and the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

The Montauk Project: Stranger Things, Time Travel & The Truth

What's the truth behind the hit TV show Stranger Things? The Montauk Project is a wild tale of secret government experiments, psychic children, and interdimensional breaches that allegedly took place at an abandoned military base on Long Island. But how much of the story is fact, and how much is stranger than fiction? This article delves into the sinister conspiracy theory that inspired the show's premise.

From Fiction to Fact: The Montauk Project

While Stranger Things expertly captures the fun, nostalgic feel of 1980s pop culture, it's the sinister undercurrent of secret government experiments that connects it to the real world. The Duffer Brothers have openly stated that the Montauk Project was a major inspiration, with the show's original title even being Montauk.

At its core, the Montauk Project is a conspiracy theory centered on the former Camp Hero Air Force Station in Montauk, Long Island. While the base’s official history is that of a World War II coastal defense station and a Cold War early-warning radar system, conspiracy theorists claim that beneath this seemingly normal façade, highly secretive and bizarre experiments were being conducted. The theories suggest that researchers were pushing the boundaries of physics, consciousness, and time itself, leading to a sprawling narrative that blurs the lines between science and the supernatural.

The Philadelphia Experiment: A Catastrophic Predecessor

The Montauk Project is often framed as a direct continuation of another famous conspiracy theory: the Philadelphia Experiment. This alleged World War II naval experiment, sometimes called Project Rainbow, supposedly involved the US Navy's attempt to make a destroyer escort, the USS Eldridge, invisible to radar.

According to the claims, the experiment went catastrophically wrong on October 28, 1943. Not only did the ship reportedly become invisible, but it also teleported hundreds of miles to Norfolk, Virginia, before reappearing in Philadelphia. The crew members who survived the ordeal were said to have suffered horrific side effects, including severe disorientation, mental instability, and in some cases, becoming physically fused with the ship's structure. Other reports claim some crew members vanished or rematerialized inside out. While the US Navy has flat out denied the event, pointing to its contradiction of basic physics and a lack of verifiable evidence, it's easy to see why such a dark and unsettling tale of wartime experimentation would capture the imagination.

Operation Paperclip: The True Conspiracy

While the Montauk Project and the Philadelphia Experiment remain firmly in the realm of conspiracy, there's a real-life historical program that demonstrates just how far the United States government was willing to go in the name of technological advancement. Operation Paperclip was a secretive US intelligence program that, from 1945 to 1959, brought German scientists, engineers, and technicians from Nazi Germany to the United States for government employment.

The program was highly controversial because many of these scientists had past affiliations with the Nazi regime and had been involved in war crimes. The US government, fearing that the Soviet Union would get its hands on this valuable expertise, chose to overlook these troubling pasts in the interest of national security.

Some of the most notable figures brought over through Operation Paperclip include:

• Wernher von Braun: A brilliant rocket scientist who developed Germany's devastating V-2 rocket. Despite his Nazi past and the use of forced labor at the Mittelwerk concentration camp, the US saw his knowledge as invaluable. He went on to become a central figure at NASA, leading the development of the Saturn V rocket that took humans to the moon.

• Kurt Dubis: A key partner of von Braun who served as the flight test director for the V-2 program. He also came to the US through Paperclip and became the first director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where he oversaw crucial missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing.

• Dr. Hubertus Strughold: Often called "the father of space medicine," Strughold conducted unethical and inhumane high-altitude and low-pressure experiments on human subjects in Germany during the war. Despite this, he played a vital role in developing life support systems for American astronauts.

The ethical tightrope the United States walked by using these scientists and the way the line between documented history and speculative conspiracy blurs somewhat when you consider the real-life precedent of Operation Paperclip. It makes the idea of a further, even stranger secret experiments like the alleged Montauk seem not entirely impossible in the public imagination.

The Montauk Chair & The Montauk Boys

Back to the Montauk Project, one of the central devices in the narrative is the Montauk Chair. Allegedly developed by the real-life technology company ITT (though with no evidence of their involvement), it began as a mind-reading device that could project an individual's thoughts onto a screen. Over time, it was supposedly honed into a powerful transmitter capable of mass telekinesis and even time travel. The idea was to transmit an alternate reality to subjects, saving them from the disorientation of time travel.

Now for one of the most unsettling parts of the Montauk narrative: the alleged Montauk Boys. The claim is that the project began abducting local children, aged 9 to 16. These children were described as being consistently male, white, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed. The belief is that thousands of these children were taken to a secret underground lab beneath Camp Hero and subjected to mind control, drug testing, and horrifying abuse, including alleged genetic alterations. Disturbing first-hand accounts from individuals like James Bruce, Stuart Swerdlow, and a park employee named Joe Lofrano who claims to be one of the Montauk Boys, give a disturbing personal dimension to these claims.

The Bizarre Conclusion: Christ's Blood & a Hairy Monster

The story takes its most outlandish turn with a truly unbelievable mission. According to the accounts, a Montauk researcher named Stan was sent back in time to retrieve a sample of Christ's blood and assassinate him. He allegedly shot Jesus with a revolver, which had no effect, and returned to Montauk with the blood. He then supposedly traveled through a portal to Mars to hand over the blood, only to find that the figure he met was not Christ but Duncan Cameron, the same man who was allegedly sent to kill Preston. The conspiracy claims the project directors wanted to use the blood to present Duncan as the Second Coming, but the plan was foiled when the blood had a cleansing effect on Duncan, causing him to sabotage the project.

According to the narrative, the project ended on August 12, 1983, when Duncan, at the correct time, initiated a plan to end the experiments. He manifested a terrifying "hairy monster" from his subconscious. The beast supposedly ran rampant on the base, eating and smashing everything until the generators were turned off and the monster disappeared.

A Final Look at Fact and Fiction

As outlandish as the final claims are, it's worth noting the real-life connections that keep the conspiracy alive. While some speculate that the secrecy at Camp Hero was for a more mundane reason, such as a buried nuclear reactor, others point to real-life government programs to suggest the more bizarre claims are not entirely impossible.

• Project MKUltra: A top-secret program from the 1950s to the 1970s that explored methods of mind control using psychoactive drugs, hypnosis, and psychological manipulation on unwitting citizens.

• Stargate Project: A real-life US Army unit that, from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, investigated the potential for psychic phenomena like "remote viewing" for military and intelligence applications.

The disturbing allegations against the author of the books, Preston Nichols, also cast a dark shadow over the entire narrative. Accounts from those who sought his help suggest that his "deprogramming" methods were sexually suggestive, manipulative, and raised serious ethical questions about the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Ultimately, the Montauk Project remains a fascinating story that expertly blurs the lines between science fiction and conspiracy. Whether it’s an urban legend or a true account of government experiments gone wrong, it's a testament to the power of a story that is just weird enough to be believable.

This Week's Wyrd News: Alien Fears, Space Pigeons, and a Subtle Human Glow

This week in the world of the wyrd, a series of bizarre news stories have captured attention, from mysterious formations in fields to strange signals from a distant star, and even a discovery about the human body.

A mystery has been unfolding in the English countryside. It's crop circle season, and recent sightings have occurred in Wiltshire, a region long considered a UFO hotspot. A particularly striking geometric design, a Celtic knot, was spotted in a farmer's field in the Wiltshire village of Sutton Veny. Another unique crop circle was found in a grass field in the nearby county of Dorset. While one initial headline sensationalized the designs as a sign of “alien invasion fears,” the farmer in Wiltshire is reportedly making the most of the situation by opening his field to enthusiasts for a small donation.

Far beyond Earth, a much larger mystery is being investigated by scientists. According to a NASA scientist named Richard Stanton, a “mystery space object” is sending an inexplicable pulsing signal to Earth. The signal originates from a sun-like star in the Ursa Major constellation and consists of a pulse of light that increases and decreases very quickly before repeating exactly 4.4 seconds later. The identical nature of the pulses is unprecedented in previous searches. While Stanton stated he cannot rule out the involvement of alien intelligence, he admits that none of the other explanations for the signal are truly satisfying. Stanton also notes that a similar signal was recorded in 2019 but was dismissed as "birds" at the time, which he has now ruled out.

Finally, a scientific discovery here on Earth reveals a phenomenon that sounds almost paranormal. According to a report from sciencefocus.com, all living things emit a "subtle, ever-real, semi-visible light that glows until you die." The light is a natural product of metabolism called ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) and is so faint it is not visible to the human eye. While it might not be evidence of ghosts, the light’s presence could offer a non-invasive way to track the health of living things.

The Chilling Story of Leonarda Cianciulli: The Soap Maker of Correggio

Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of a graphic and disturbing nature. Reader discretion is advised.

In the annals of true crime, there are few stories as macabre and unsettling as that of Leonarda Cianciulli. Known to the world as "The Soap Maker of Correggio," this Italian serial killer's tale is a chilling blend of dark superstition, maternal obsession, and horrifying depravity. On a recent episode of the Wyrd Wessex podcast, we delved into her disturbing history, exploring the dark path that led a seemingly ordinary woman to commit such unspeakable acts.

A Life Shaped by Fear and a Curse

Leonarda Cianciulli's life was plagued by tragedy from a young age. She claimed to have been cursed by her own mother, who did not approve of her marriage, and this belief was only deepened by a life marked by misfortune. She endured multiple miscarriages and lost a number of children in infancy, a traumatic history that instilled in her a desperate, obsessive love for her surviving son, Giuseppe. This obsessive love would become the driving force behind her horrific crimes.

When Giuseppe was set to leave for military service in World War II, Leonarda became consumed by a terrifying fear. She believed he was in mortal danger and that the only way to save him was through a human sacrifice. This bizarre superstition, born from her earlier fears and sorrows, led her to a horrifying solution.

The Three Victims: A Recipe for Murder

Between 1939 and 1940, Leonarda Cianciulli murdered three women who came to her seeking help or friendship. Each was a victim of a meticulously planned, ritualistic killing, and each was promised something she desperately wanted.

• Faustina Setti: A lifelong spinster, Faustina sought Cianciulli's help in finding a husband. Leonarda promised her a match in another town, but on the day of her supposed departure, she convinced Faustina to drink a glass of drugged wine. When Setti fell unconscious, Cianciulli killed her with an axe, dragged the body into a closet, and then cut it into nine parts. As Leonarda chillingly described in her official statement, she threw the pieces into a pot with seven kilos of caustic soda she had bought to make soap, and "stirred the mixture until the pieces dissolved in a thick, dark mush."

• Francesca Soavi: A lonely woman in search of a job, Francesca was lured to the house with the promise of work at a girls' school. Her fate was the same as Faustina's; she was drugged, killed with an axe, and her body was disposed of in the same grotesque manner. From this victim, Cianciulli reportedly stole 3,000 lire.

• Virginia Cacioppo: A former opera singer, Virginia was the final victim. She was promised a secretarial job in Florence. In her confession, Cianciulli recalled that Virginia was different from the others. “She ended up in the pot, like the other two,” Cianciulli said, “but her flesh was fat and white, when it had melted I added a bottle of cologne, and after a long time on the boil I was able to make some most acceptable creamy soap.” From this final victim, she reportedly stole 50,000 lire and assorted jewels.

After each murder, Cianciulli meticulously dismembered the bodies. She famously used their remains to create new products. The body parts were turned into bars of soap that she gave away to neighbors. But the most horrifying detail came with the blood. Cianciulli would wait for the blood to coagulate, dry it in the oven, grind it up, and mix it with flour, sugar, and chocolate. She would then bake the mixture into cookies and tea cakes, which she and her beloved son, Giuseppe, also ate.

A Shocking Confession and an Unsettling Legacy

Leonarda's crime spree ended after Virginia Cacioppo's sister-in-law grew suspicious of her sudden disappearance. The police investigation eventually led to Cianciulli's arrest. When confronted with the evidence, she did not resist. Instead, she offered a calm and detailed confession that left the investigators stunned by the sheer horror of her actions. She did not express remorse; she expressed a sense of justification, believing her acts were necessary to protect her son.

At her trial in 1946, she was dubbed a "monster" by the press. The court heard her calm testimony, where she described her crimes in detail, right down to the recipes. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison and three years in a criminal asylum. Her son, Giuseppe, was acquitted. Leonarda died of a cerebral apoplexy in the Pozzuoli women's criminal asylum on October 15, 1970, taking her dark secrets with her. Her story remains a gruesome testament to the lengths a person will go to when a twisted obsession takes hold, and the horrifying reality that the most terrifying monsters are often human.

Want to hear more? Listen to the full episode of Wyrd Wessex on your favorite podcast platform. We're also talking more weird news and other bonus content on our free bonus show, AfterWyrd.

Resources: If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 or the Samaritans are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123. Or a personal favourite of mine actually is Mind, which you can call on 0300 102 1234. I have used their services in the past. They are very good. For those outside of the UK, please look for a similar service.

The Chilling Phenomenon of Phrogging: The Boogeyman Under the Bed

The boogeyman under the bed is one of the oldest fears in the book. It’s a classic monster, a childhood nightmare you eventually grow out of. But what if the monster wasn't a monster at all, but something far more terrifying: a real person? This week on the Wyrd Wessex podcast, Craig and Andy uncovered a recent news story that brought this fear to life and then dived into the broader, chilling phenomenon it represents: phrogging.

Wyrd News: A Monster Under the Bed

The episode begins with a disturbing news report from NPR about a babysitter in Kansas. When a child complained about a "monster" under the bed, the babysitter went to investigate, only to come face to face with a man hiding there. The man turned out to be a 27-year-old with a protective order against him, and the confrontation led to a violent struggle. He was eventually arrested on a slew of charges, including aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary, turning a common childhood fear into a very real and immediate threat.

This horrifying story was a fitting segue into the main topic: phrogging, the act of living in someone's home without their knowledge. The name is derived from the way perpetrators jump from one residence to another, like a phrog leaping between lily pads. While it sounds like an urban myth, Craig and Andy explain that numerous confirmed cases have occurred, with people nesting in attics, basements, and other hidden nooks.

The "Virtuous" Phrogger and a Code of Conduct

The Wyrdo's discuss a so-called "code" that some phroggers reportedly follow. The code is meant to ensure they can coexist with the homeowners without being detected. It dictates that they must take only what they need, such as food and toiletries, and must leave no trace of their presence. However, as the Wyrdo's point out, this code is more of a theory than a reality, as most real-life phroggers have a darker agenda.

Craig and Andy then explore several chilling examples that prove the rule:

• The Honolulu "Doctor": A couple returned from holiday to find a stranger in their home who had been living there for some time. He had used their laptop to write a bizarre manifesto on "rehabilitation for rat-like people" and had left knives arranged on their bed, suggesting a sinister intent.

• The Christmas List Phrogger: A man was discovered living in a family's attic after they heard strange noises they had been attributing to their cats. The intruder had not only been eating their food and wearing their clothes but had also created a "Christmas list" of all the items he had stolen.

• The Killer in the Walls: One of the most horrifying examples is Daniel LaPlante, who terrorized a family from within their own home. He would hide in crawlspaces, tap on walls, and scrawl messages like "I'm in your room, come and find me." His behavior escalated from phrogging to multiple murders, serving as a cautionary tale of how a seemingly harmless act can lead to atrocity.

• The Poltergeist in the Attic: In a story that's more creepy than violent, a woman thought she had a poltergeist problem. She heard strange noises and found nails popping out of her ceiling, but the culprit was not a ghost. It was her ex-boyfriend, who had been secretly living in her attic for two weeks, spying on her through an air vent.

The Welsh Vampire

The myths of vampires—creatures of the night who prey on the living—have terrified us for centuries. But what happens when that legend steps out of the shadows and into our world? On a recent episode of the Wyrd Wessex podcast, we delved into a chilling true crime story from the quiet Welsh town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. For the sake of our sanity, we'll refer to it as Llanfair PG. This seemingly peaceful corner of Anglesey became the backdrop for a crime that felt ripped from the pages of a horror novel. We explored the case of Matthew Hardman, a teenager who committed a horrific murder in 2001, not out of greed or rage, but from a twisted obsession with becoming a vampire.

A Horrific Act in a Quiet Town

On a Sunday morning in November 2001, a Meals on Wheels volunteer discovered the brutalized body of 90-year-old Mabel Leyshon. The scene that awaited first responders was more than a murder—it was a truly gruesome and ritualistic desecration. Mabel had been stabbed 22 times and her chest sliced open in a gaping wound nearly eight inches wide. Inside a saucepan on the floor, detectives found her heart wrapped in newspaper. The final chilling detail: lip marks on the rim of the pan, a grim testament to the killer having drunk her blood. The scene, as one seasoned officer put it, suggested that "the devil has been to Anglesey."

The immediate fear that gripped the town was palpable. The broadcast of a Crimewatch appeal a month later, which revealed the ritualistic details, instantly gave the perpetrator the terrifying moniker of The Vampire Murderer. This broadcast led police to a local teenager, Matthew Hardman, a seemingly unremarkable paperboy who had previously spooked a foreign exchange student by claiming she was part of a vampire coven and begging her to bite him.

A Twisted Quest for Immortality

Matthew Hardman’s obsession with vampires, sparked in the wake of his father’s death, had consumed him. He believed that the myth of vampirism was real and that the grotesque killing of Mabel, a vulnerable woman he knew from his paper round, was a necessary sacrifice for his own transformation into an immortal being.

Police investigators found a terrifying trail of evidence. Hardman’s trainers matched prints from the crime scene, and a knife in his pocket was stained with Mabel’s blood. The search of his home revealed a collection of vampire-themed books and magazines, and his computer’s search history showed a desperate quest for immortality, with visits to websites like "Vampire Slash Donor." He even reportedly punched himself in the nose to draw blood in a desperate attempt to tempt his imagined vampires to bite him.

Hardman’s detachment during police interviews was chilling. As Detective Sergeant Davis recalled, when asked what he wanted after being charged with murder, Hardman simply requested a Big Mac, fries, and a milkshake. He was "totally unfazed by his predicament, even offering us some of his fries."

The Monster Within

Hardman’s case raises a terrifying question: what drives a person to such a depraved act? His actions align with what is sometimes called Renfield syndrome, a compulsion to consume blood. While not an official diagnosis, it describes a real and disturbing pattern of behavior often linked to other underlying psychological issues.

Unfortunately, Hardman is not alone in his delusion. We explored other cases that prove the horrifying potential of the human mind when gripped by a bizarre belief system:

• Alan Menzies: In Scotland, Menzies murdered his friend after becoming obsessed with the film Queen of the Damned, believing a vampire queen had promised him immortality. He bludgeoned his friend, drank his blood, and ate parts of his head. He died in prison just a few years later, a grim end to his "immortality."

• Richard Chase: Known as the "Vampire of Sacramento," this paranoid schizophrenic murdered six people, believing his blood was turning to powder and could only be replenished by drinking the blood of others. He committed suicide in prison in 1980.

• Peter Kürten: The "Vampire of Düsseldorf," a serial killer from the early 20th century who earned his moniker from the horrifying act of drinking the blood of some of his victims.

• Magdalena Solis: The "High Priestess of Blood," a cult leader in Mexico who, with her followers, engaged in ritualistic human sacrifice and blood drinking, believing it would grant them spiritual power.

These cases, as terrifying as they are, serve as a stark reminder that the scariest monsters are not from folklore, but are the ones that exist within the human psyche. The myth of the vampire has fed back into reality, inspiring a horrifying new breed of monster—and prompting us to consider the origins of such timeless legends. As we discussed, the idea of consuming a person to gain their strength is as old as time, but the modern myth of the vampire has undoubtedly given a terrifying new blueprint to the darkest corners of the human mind.

The Dark History of Devizes

The air in Devizes, Wiltshire, carries a certain weight. It’s a town literally built on history, where centuries of conflict, tradition, and legend have seeped into the very stones of its streets. On a recent episode of the Wyrd Wessex podcast, we, the Wyrdo's, took a deep dive into the stories that make this town a true tapestry of the weird. From a Norman castle at its heart to a mummified hand that caused a riot, Devizes is a place where the past is always just around the corner.

The Castle at the Boundaries

At the center of it all stands Devizes Castle. Though what you see today is a 19th-century Victorian castle, it sits on the site of a Norman stronghold that gave the town its name, from the Latin Castrum ad Divisas—the castle at the boundaries.

This was no ordinary fortification. The castle was a royal prison, holding high-profile inmates like Robert Curthose, William the Conqueror's eldest son. It also played a pivotal role in England's bloody Civil War, serving as a Royalist stronghold until Cromwell himself laid siege to it. Ultimately, Parliament ordered its destruction, ensuring its grim history would be felt for centuries to come.

And indeed, the castle's history is alive with ghosts. The most famous is the Lady in White, said to be the spirit of a woman who was walled in by her jealous husband. While historical records cast doubt on the identity of the ghost, the story itself, of betrayal and a gruesome end, is a powerful echo of the past. Other phantoms include a rushing Cavalier whose sword clatters on the main staircase and a solemn, stooping widow who frightens dogs in the gallery.

The Battle that Shaped History

Just outside Devizes lies the site of the Battle of Roundway Down, a major turning point in the English Civil War. From the vantage point of Oliver's Castle, an Iron Age hill fort, we looked out across the valley where a Royalist cavalry force delivered a crushing defeat to Parliament's army. It’s a place still said to echo with the sounds of battle—phantom musket fire, the thunder of spectral hooves, and the cries of the wounded.

But the history of this hill goes back much further. It was here that archaeologists found the Roundway Archer, a man from the Early Bronze Age whose grave contained objects that showed a surprising truth about our ancestors: they were globally connected. The archer was buried with a copper dagger from Central Europe and a wrist guard made of jadeite, possibly from Spain. His burial proves that even in what we consider a remote area, people were part of a vast, interconnected network of trade and culture.

Devizes's Most Haunting Legends

As we wandered through Devizes, it became clear that the town's oddities are part of its character. The locals, in fact, are known as "Moonrakers," a nickname that comes from a tale of cunning smugglers who duped an exciseman into believing they were raking the full moon's reflection out of a pond.

But not all the stories are so lighthearted. The town is home to some truly unsettling legends:

• The Hand of Glory: A local tale speaks of a mummified hand, taken from a hanged man, that was said to possess dark powers. It could render everyone in a house insensible, allowing thieves to rob them without resistance.

• Ruth Pierce's Fate: The Market Cross is the site of a truly morbid event. In 1753, a woman named Ruth Pierce was accused of theft. She swore a false oath to God and, according to official records, was instantly struck dead for her blasphemy.

• The Phantom Bell: The nearby village of Wilcot was plagued by a bell that rang non-stop inside a vicarage. It was the work of a local "cunning man" from Devizes who declared the ringing would only stop when he died—a promise that, chillingly, was kept.

A Town of Restless Spirits

Our tour of the town's weird history wouldn't be complete without visiting its most haunted locales. The Black Swan Hotel, a pub we can personally recommend for a good pint, is home to a restless highwayman who haunts the ancient cellars and a tragic female ghost who appears in a room on the stroke of midnight.

Even the everyday buildings have secrets. The now-closed Palace Theatre is still home to three male ghosts, including a former manager who waits in his favorite seat. The former Roundway Hospital, now repurposed into housing, is a nexus of unexplained activity, with accounts of a ghost that shouts at a resident for reading and a spectral cat. Even the woods behind the hospital, the site of a medieval cemetery, are haunted by an unsettling unseen presence that makes you feel like you are being watched.

Devizes is a place that reminds us that history is not just a collection of dates and facts, but a living, breathing thing full of weird, wonderful, and sometimes terrifying stories. It’s a town that wears its past on its sleeve, and if you listen closely, you can almost hear the echoes of the weird, weird tales that still linger in the air.

Want to hear more? Listen to the full episode of Wyrd Wessex on your favorite podcast platform.

Wyrd Wessex: The Magic of Beltane at Butser 2025

The air crackles with anticipation, the scent of woodsmoke and a lingering chill from the winter months hanging on the breeze. Here at Butser Ancient Farm, we gathered for Beltane, a festival of fire, life, and the promise of summer. On this special episode of Wyrd Wessex, we, the Wyrdo's, spoke to the incredible people who make this event a truly unforgettable experience, from the crafters and storytellers to the very heart of the celebration itself.

The conversations we had weren't just about the festival, but about the very essence of what it means to be connected to the weird and wonderful. We heard incredible stories that defied easy explanation, proving that the ancient world is never as far away as we might think.

Voices of the Bronze Age

First, we spoke with Kate, a dedicated reenactor who brings the Bronze Age to life. While demonstrating the intricate process of crafting a knife sheath from antler and flint, she shared a story that truly shook her skepticism. Working late in a disused tunnel under the British Museum, she felt a distinct, physical hand grab her arm—a sensation she could not explain. Her account serves as a powerful reminder that some things simply cannot be rationalized away.

We also caught up with Vanessa, known to many as Pukubi, who works tirelessly to dispel the myth that our ancestors were messy or primitive. She passionately shared how the Bronze Age was a time of advanced technology and skill. For her, Beltane is a time of rebirth and a positive energy that sweeps away the cold of winter.

Stories from the Hearth

No festival would be complete without a storyteller, and we were thrilled to welcome back Jason Buck. A master of performance, Jason told us that his life has been dotted with strange, unexplained occurrences. He sees these moments not as single, spectacular paranormal events, but as part of a rich tapestry of life—a perspective that resonates with the natural rhythms of the festival.

Later, we were honoured to sit with Damh the Bard, a druid and musician whose deep connection to the land is woven into his songs. Damh spoke about his animistic beliefs, where the gods and spirits are not human-shaped entities but the very essence of the earth, the trees, and the ocean. He shared a profound experience of seeing what he believes was the horned god at a ritual—an encounter that proved that these ancient forces still acknowledge and interact with us.

The Heart of the Festival

At the center of it all were Mark and Rebecca from 2 Circle Designs, the creative minds behind the Beltane burn. They shared the meticulous planning that went into creating this year's wicker man, ensuring the burn was both spectacular and symbolic. Rebecca gave us a glimpse into her own home, where she and Mark have a "normal weird" ghost that turns taps on and off and rattles pans. Interestingly, they never felt a sense of menace, but rather a benign, ongoing presence. It was a beautiful example of how we can coexist with the unexplainable.

We also had the privilege of speaking with festival royalty, the May Queen and the Green Man. The May Queen shared her own haunting story of seeing her deceased grandmother at a window. The Green Man, from his time in the British Army, recounted a surreal experience of a civil war battlefield manifesting on an empty field—a truly mind-bending experience.

Beltane at Butser is more than a festival; it's a living, breathing connection to our past. It's a reminder that the old ways are not gone, but simply waiting to be celebrated and understood. We left with our minds full of new stories and our hearts full of the warm promise of summer.

The Enigmatic Green Man: From Medieval Mystery to Modern Icon

When you stand inside a great church or cathedral, like Southwell Minster or Norwich Cathedral, and look up at the soaring, intricate stonework of the vaulted ceiling, you might notice something out of place. Nestled among the bosses, you'll find a grotesque, stone face, with leaves and vines sprouting from its mouth. These carvings, known as "foliate heads," were a popular decorative motif during the 16th century, but their true significance has been lost to time. We don’t even know what medieval people called them, as the term "Green Man" is a romantic, modern invention. So, what exactly is this leafy-faced being?

The silence of history has allowed us to speculate. Was the Green Man a secret pagan deity, carved into the church by a hidden cult of stonemasons risking their lives for their ancient beliefs? Perhaps, but it seems highly improbable that a figure associated with the Roman god of revelry, Bacchus, would find a comfortable place within austere Christian walls. While a small number of these carvings feature vines and grapes, the vast majority are adorned with oak leaves and hawthorn, and crucially, Bacchus is never depicted "vomiting vegetation."

Another, more grounded theory is that the Green Man was a visual warning, a stark reminder of the earthly temptations that a devout Christian was meant to transcend. A constant call to reject the pagan impulses of the untamed natural world. And yet, trees themselves hold a sacred place within Christian symbolism. The Tree of Jesse, a popular motif that traces Christ's lineage, and the legend of Seth, who planted seeds from the Tree of Knowledge in his father's mouth to produce the wood for the cross, suggest that the "veneration of trees is not an exclusive domain of pagan belief."

It was the Victorians who truly breathed life back into the Green Man. With their fascination for ancient origins and idyllic rural traditions, they first forged a strong connection between the medieval carvings and later folk customs like the "Jack in the Green" and the "Buryman of South Queensferry." They revelled in the notion that pre-Christian religions had survived, hidden within rural folk traditions. They romanticized these celebrations, seeing innocent maypoles as "blatant phallic representations of earthly fertility." This romanticism was not an uncovering of old beliefs, but rather a creation of new ones, a revival that continues to shape our perception of the Green Man to this day. This is particularly clear in modern paganism; by the 1950s, figures like Gerald Gardner were inextricably linking the Green Man with the God of the Witches, a potent, revitalised archetype.

This resurgence of the Green Man is not confined to spirituality. As a prime modern example, the King's coronation invitation featured the Green Man as a central motif. While this caused some controversy—with one former member of Mumford & Sons writing a "shitty article about how Christian England had fallen and everything was woke"—the image serves as a powerful testament to the enduring presence and relevance of this ancient, mysterious figure.