Strange Stories UK

Send us a textHello anyone reading or listening to this. Sorry it has been so long since my last pod. This case dates back to 1961 but it is an interesting case, virtually forgotten today. It is set in the East End of London when three policeman were shot by an angry man who had argued with his wife.There is no editing and all is in lo-fi.

Send us a textThe Helen Duncan seances at Portsmouth during WW2, allegedly called the spirit of a sailor who died aboard the HMS Barham which had been lost with almost 900 onboard.  The spirit sailor told Duncan of the loss. It was top secret and nobody was supposed to have knowledge of it, so was this proof that spirits called at the séance were genuine? Well of course not,  but other documentaries on the subject were coy about telling the story suggesting or hinting that it may be the case that it was a spirit. I found this ambiguity rather annoying and wanted to get to the truth of the case. So I made this podcast based on the court papers.

Send us a textPathological jealousy, Sandbanks, Dorset murder.This case dates from 1972, it is an unknown case, I can find no information about it online. The information comes from files in the National Archives. The podcast is told in one take and there is no editing. I think there is some frog and sparrow noise in the background. I will attempt a change of subject matter for the next pod.

Send us a textI am sure nobody listening would have ever heard about this case. The actual case files will not be released until 2057, 100 years plus after the case so there is something to be kept secret. It is a short podcast, with a lot of padding because there is no information. Recorded in lo-fi in one take with no editing. I will post some photos on the F/B site, not however the corpses which were quite horrifying. Hubert Douglas, If still alive would be 87 today, he seemed brutalised by his upbringing, he must have been to commit parricide.

Send us a textAn unpleasnt story, the court case said a sordid murder, so maybe not for all. Ilchester, Somerset 1972. I will post some photographs on the F/B site.  

Send us a textA dreadful story about how three young men in their 20s, fashionable Mods found themselves crossing a line and ruining their lives,  killing others with a series of bad decisions in the Swinging London of 1968. 

Send us a textThis is a disjointed ramble about some stories from the Isle of Wight, mainly from the 1960s. A murder at the Blacksmith's Arms, A murder at Carisbrooke, some possible paranormal stories, some local history and some aircraft crashes on the chalk Downs.I usually read up on the stories making a few notes beforehand and then write them and post them in a day so I am afraid they are not that well produced or professional. This is a one person attempt to create a podcast and I do not have time to edit or record more than one take.

Send us a textThis is a current case after the bodies of Andrew and Dawn Searle were found in their home in Southern France on Thursday 6 February 2025. This is what is known after six days of investigation. I discuss the possible theories that have been reported in the media.

Send us a textA story based during World War 2, a double murder committed by a younger male who did nothing to help the war effort who seemed totally selfish and was a danger to women. I can only find one other podcast that has covered this podcast, which was Murder Mile, which is a recommended listen. This podcast was recorded in one take and has not been edited, I hesitate and mispronounce as usual. On listening to playback, there is a pug dog snoring in the background, so sorry about that. I would spend more time on the podcasts but there are so many stories and so little time. I record these podcasts instead of watching a screen. There is so much good stuff to watch and listen to, I am amazed that anyone listens to this pod. I will continue to post even if no one listens. This is part of the reason that I do not bother to edit. I could produce a well produced and edited podcast, or post two podcasts, telling two stories. I also prefer live broadcasts when things can go wrong. The most surprising thing to happen during my recording a podcast was an owl flying through an open window and freaking out a cat that was sitting in a chair, all of which was kept in the pod.I did have a website but when I had to renew the name, they quoted a price which was ridiculous, a hundred times more than the introductory price. So the name Strange Stories UK is available.I will eventually post on YouTube to see how that turns out. I will post some photographs of the house and where the body was found on the Strange Stories UK Facebook site and the Instagram site. 

Send us a textA rather strange case, a double murder that shocked the UK in 1949 but is almost forgotten about today. 75 years on, we do not know  the motive. Told in one take without editing.

Send us a textThis is the third and final podcast on the Southport Stabbings from 29 July last year. The most shocking crime committed in the UK that I can ever recall. This is a consideration of unanswered questions and failures of the Authorities in this matter.   

Send us a textThis  short podcast is part one, about the cover up by the authorities over the Southport Stabbings and murders. I like many others feel upset and let down by the authorities about the atrocities they in part allowed to happen in Southport last year. These authorities are all trying hard to deflect and cover up.In this podcast I give a brief overview of events in Rwanda over the past 30 years and looking into why alleged war criminals were allowed to settle in the UK and how these may have led to the Southport murders. 

Send us a textTwo interesting cases that both went to the law courts in some ways trying to prove that ghosts exist. The first case was in Hackney, East London in 1967, the second was in Derbyshire in the 1990s.This podcast is unedited and recording in one take, and I am not the best at pronouncing or enunciating words, so I apologise for that but do not need reminding of it. 

Send us a textA little Social and Economic history and a murder in Maidenhead during 1948.This podcast is told in one take without editing.

Send us a textA case probably long forgotton and not much publicised at the time. The information has been sourced from police records and primary sources. An unpleasant double murder from thirty years ago at Plymouth, Devon. The story is told in one take and without any editing.  

Send us a textIt was at Raynham Hall that what is known as the most famous photograph of a ghost was taken. The background to the photograph being taken was the chaotic family history of the Townshend family of Raynham Hall, Norfolk. This podcast is a ramble, told in one take without editing.

Send us a textThis case is being heard at Winchester Crown Court during December 2024. Amie Gray was murdered by Nasen Saadi on Bournemouth Beach as he was curious to known what it would be like to kill someone according to the prosecution.This is a short podcast giving an overview of what is known as the case is live and seems to be attracting some media interest.Apologies for the sound of a noisy dog during recording. I will post part 2 at the conclusion of the court case.edit 1: Just to be clear Saadi is pleading not guilty to murder and attempted murder, during the pod, I think I mistakenly said that he was pleading guilty. 

Send us a textLondon 1960. East London, petty criminals playing with guns.Warning: This podcast is lo-fi without editing. There is animal noise in the background.

Send us a textAll Hallows Eve 2024. There is a brief examination of nine cases. These include the cases of Mr Moss and Mr Munnings and the medium Blanche Cooper. The SPR investigator Guy Lambert was involved in several of these cases all of which are sourced from the Journals and Proceedings of the Society of Psychical Research. There is also a search for buried treasure at Glastonbury Abbey.

Send us a textThis case was heard in court this month, October 2024, the media reported on the case which caused much interest, an unarmed black male being shot by an armed police officer in London. The last time such an event attracted so much attention in 2011, there was a week of rioting across the country. To avoid a repetition, the authorities decided to charge the police officer with murder trying to defuse a reaction. When the case was heard in court, the officer was found not guilty and it seemed that mass demonstrations being planned may turn into disorder. However the criminal past of Chris Kaba was then released which seemed to change many people's attitude towards the shooting.

Send us a textSea serpents part 2. This podcasts will consider some well known sea serpent sightings and globsters and also consider some creatures that may have been mistaken for sea serpents.As always this podcast is recorded in one take without editing.

Send us a textThis is the first of three podcasts on sea serpent sightings over the centuries and theories  given for these sightings from a mainly  British viewpoint. This podcast concentrates on the history of sea serpent sightings up the mid 19 century.

Send us a textA well known unsolved murder from 2004 when a 30 year old banker who worked for HBOS, Alistair Wilson was shot on the doorstep of his home on a Sunday evening. There are lots of theories but it is looking like that the case will remain unsolved.

Send us a textThis horrific and little known incident which resulted in the death of two 16 year old children who had been been to church in 1961 at Gravesend. The story is unpleasant but serves as a case history of paraphilic coercive disorder. This is told in one take without editing.I have just realised this is podcast number 200! I am posting on Facebook Strange Stories UK again. If you wish to send a message please do so through F/B. 

Send us a textBrilliant Chang, Eddie Manning, Freda Kempton and other stories. Moral Panics in the UK after WW1 made these characters well known to the British Public. These and other stories, mainly about scandal stories about London nightlife 100 years ago are told here in one take and without editing.

Send us a textThis is the second podcast setting the scene to examine crime gangs active in the UK between the two world wars.This rambling podcast is about the fear of white slavery and the first celebrity drug death in the UK.This podcast is not edited and recorded in one take with words mispronounced. 

Send us a Text Message.This is the first of a series of podcasts regarding some incidents in the UK (London) that took place 100 years ago and caused a 'moral panic'. This first podcast tells of how drugs, (class A drugs as we understand them today) were introduced into the UK, at first accepted but then rejected after misuse. The second podcast will be about what was known as 'White Slavery' 100 years ago but as we better understand as human trafficking. Then I will broadcast some podcasts based on these podcasts and police reports of the time. Incidents that are mainly forgotten today. I will post the next pod shortly.This podcast has not been edited in anyway, and has been recorded in one take. I apologise in advance for any mispronounceations.

Send us a Text Message.I have put this short podcast together on Wednesday evening, a couple of days since an incident in Leicester Square which saw a young girl randomly stabbed. The 11 year old girl was visiting from Australia and is still in hospital. It is a bit of a rant against the state of the UK so probably best to give it a miss. It has been written and posted in the space of an afternoon so as you can imagine it is not a professionally produced podcast. I wanted to post another podcast after the one I made about the Southport stabbings which was what was known about the incident two days later; so I have attempted to do the same here. This incident will be quickly forgotton by most but it seems quite worrying to me that such an incident can happen against a tourist in Central London. To me it is a sympthon that something is wrong in the UK. The next podcast will back to what I usually post. I just felt I needed to make a comment about stabbings against young children in the summer of 2024.

Send us a Text Message.This is a short podcast as a response to the Southport stabbings. What we know after Day 1.  

Send us a Text Message.Quite a complicated story which I have tried to simplify. This is a well known case in the North East, still just about in living memory (1967). It is a case of miscarriage of justice, organised crime and corruption in the Newcastle, County Durham area.This podcast is one man in his office putting out a story the way he understands it. I know that I am not very good at presenting but thank you to those who have contacted me to make sure that I know this.

Send us a Text Message.Jay Slater, a teenager has gone missing while on holiday in Tenerife. This is a story that has taken off in the media and social media. This concerns the first two weeks of a strange and fast moving  case that may well be solved by the time you have read this. The story is told in one take  without any editing.. 

Send us a Text Message.I can't find any mention of these 1971 murders on the internet. The information is taken from police files and as information is scant, it is a short episode.

Send us a Text Message.This is a forgotten about story found in a Journal of the Society of Psychical Research. Wivelsfield is a village in Sussex, the Volturno was an ocean liner, presumably named after the Italian river.Please be advised that this podcast is recorded in one take and is not edited.

1920s in the UK the Authorities were worried about the behaviour of some of the young people who were later called 'The Bright Young things'. The Establishment were worried about nightclubs, dancing and drinking and the Home Secretary was determined to do something about it. When he found out about a scandal at Eton College where boys were supposedly being seduced by actresses, he was determined to make an example of Tallulah Bankhead, an American actress who seemed to be pleased to be called the most immoral woman in the world.

I am posting  this short podcast as the podcasts that I have been working on have become rather complicated, I will finish and broadcast them later. One is about corruption in the Metropolitan police force in London during the 1970s, the other is a paranormal case. I have started and completed this short podcast on a rainy Sunday in May 2024. The story comes from 1973 from Swanage in Dorset. I would imagine it is largely forgotten now. It is recorded in one take without editing. One mistake I realised was that I mentioned a phone call being the price of the average woman's wage in 1973, what I had not made clear was this referred to aweekly weekly wage as a twenty minute phone call would have been about £25 

What is the largest fish caught in British freshwaters and are they dangerous? This episode is about a huge creature that lived in Martin Mere that was said to feed on swans!  Some of the podcast is rather silly but all of it true.There is a Slightly boring opening about geological features, folklore and drainage systems, this lasts about five minutes, so maybe  skip that part.  As usual please be warned this is a lo fi production by someone that often stumbles over words and records in one take without any editing.CFZ have a facebook site 

This case was committed in Boscombe, part of Bournemouth during August 2023. The case has come to Winchester Crown Court this month, starting on April 11, it is expected to finish in late May, more likely early June 2024.I am not sure how to describe the case in a line or two. A gregarious extrovert couple with addiction and mental health problems commit an atrocious act. The trial is live, so please follow it in the media. I dont think I will post another podcast on this case unless  there  is  something  to justify another podcast. I intend to post a couple of lighter podcasts, non murder cases. Perhaps a paranormal podcast, Also a podcast about  the Beatles and John Lennon, I am aware that I have not posted a cryptozoology podcast for some time.

Confrontations and Closing Speeches.This is the fifth podcast on the Constance Marten and Mark Gordon trial. This one concentrates on the last month of the trial which only sat for a few days. The trial has again been delayed halfway through the Judge's summing up speech. I don't think that there will be a verdict until around 29 April 2024.The Strange Stories podcast is not a corporate podcast, there are other podcasts being made on the case,  it is recorded in one take, without any editing but attempts to be rich in detail.I am assuming anyone listening to this podcast has a good knowledge of the case, otherwise please listen to previous episodes.

Please be aware, this podcast is recorded in one take without editing. This is a case that was heard at Winchester Crown Court between January 2024 and March 2024.

I am posting this before the retrial of the  Nicholas Billingham / Fiona Beal case which is due to be heard at the Old Bailey in the late Spring of 2024.  This is a retrial of a case abandoned during June 2023 for no apparent reason. I am giving the background to the original trial. It is told in one take without editing.  I will post another podcast when the case finishes probably at the end of June 2024.

A Famous murder of its time in 1964, almost forgotten today. The case was famous for its forensic breakthrough. Recorded as usual in one take without editing.

 This is the fourth podcast of what is proving to be an extraordinary case.  I was expecting this to be a one podcast  case.T his podcast concentrates on the events of week 7 of this case being heard in Court 5 of the Old Bailey in London. This is being posted before the expected start of week 8 on March 25 2024. 

Recorded in lo fi without editing. I don't think you would have heard of this story from Portsmouth, UK in March 1973.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

I am posting this podcast after week 6  of the trial. The case is intriguing with many odd and unexplained aspects . Week 7 is about to commence with Constance Marten continuing her defence.I am wondering how the jury are going to come to a verdict on which they all agree.As usual, this podcast is posted without editing and the presentation is not of a professional standard.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

This is part 2 of the Constance Marten, Mark Gordon trial at the Old Bailey. Some reflections on the first five weeks of the trial. As always the podcast is recorded in one take with no editing.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

The Constance Marten and Mark Gordon trial is at present being held at  the Old Bailey, it started  January 2024 and is scheduled to finish on 8 March. It seems to have caused great interest and a number of podcasts have been commissioned by newspapers and the BBC. This podcast is lo-fi and is not a polished corporate effort. I have tried a different approach , concentrating on the background and events leading to the arrest of the couple in part 1. I will post a second podcast (part 2) after the trial, this will be the story of the trial.What should be noted is that  Constance Marten and Mark Gordon believe that they have not done anything wrong, so it will be interesting to see how the trial plays out.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

This is a short podcast about a totally senseless murder last August in the West Sussex town of Crawley. Condolences to the family of Harrison Tompkins.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

Two characters with links to the Elephant and Castle area of South London. Alfred Hinds probably unjustly imprisoned in 1953 and determined to do something about it. Shirley Pitts born into poverty and determined to do something about it. Recorded in one take in lo-fi with a dog next to me.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

Cleator Moor is a small town near the East Coast of Cumbria in the North of England on the Eastern edge of the Lake District a few miles away.  It is an area quite isolated and probably quite dull for young people living there. 23  August 1974 there was a horrific crime committed there which seems totally forgotten now, 50 years later. Those involved seem totally forgotten. www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

This started as a podcast on the Bethnal Green Tube disaster in 1943. I was surprised to learn about other crowd crush disasters that I had never heard of before. I have gone into some detail on the Bethnal Green story but then give an overview on the other disasters. The last three  crowd crush disasters reported on here are exclusively child death disasters, so not a podcast for everyone. www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com

In January 2021 there was news reported that shocked the people of Brighton and Hove. Prominent and popular businesswoman Sue Addis was stabbed and killed in the bath while at home. This podcast is lofi, recorded in one take with no editing.www.strangestoriesuk.gmail.com