A pair of ghost hunters were stunned after visiting a creepy abandoned graveyard recently – and claimed a spirit issued a rude two-word phrase to them.
Ghost hunters Paul Cowmeadow, 48, and Ed Francis, 51, who run Gloucester Paranormal Investigation Services (GPIS), have become renowned for their chilling explorations across the UK. United by their fascination with the supernatural, they embarked on their ghost-hunting journey seven years ago, dedicating their time to probing haunted sites such as old farmhouses, derelict buildings, graveyards, railways, and churches.
Their latest unsettling experience occurred at Horton Road Cemetery in Gloucestershire, a site linked to the now-defunct Horton Road Mental Hospital, believed to be the final resting place of former patients. Overgrown and concealed, the cemetery is often unnoticed by the public despite its proximity to a busy area.
According to the duo, it was around 10pm when they claim a spectral voice spoke to them – and even told them to “eat s**t”.
Describing the spine-tingling visit, Paul recounted: “The graveyard is said to be part of the now abandoned Horton Road Mental Hospital. And patients from the asylum are believed to be buried there. It has since been left to overgrow and hidden away and even though the public walk by it every day, nobody really sees it. The cemetery is also well known for being haunted.”
He further described the moment they stepped into the graveyard, noting a dramatic shift in atmosphere that made them feel isolated from the nearby road and footpath, with the neglected appearance adding to the site’s spookiness. .
An unsettling atmosphere hung over the graveyard, leaving the duo with an unshakeable feeling that they were being watched. Paul recounted: “We felt like we weren’t alone, like we were being watched, which is what we managed to confirm during our investigations there with the responses that we received through our equipment.”
As they explored the graveyard, a spirit posed a question via the spirit talker app, asking ‘Am I dead?’. The pair responded by telling them ‘yes, you are, sorry’. The spirit then generated two more words – ‘eat s**t’, the ghost hunters claim.
They concluded that the spirit must be “in denial” and “doesn’t want to believe they are actually dead”. The spirits also inquired: ‘What’s the box, explain that device’.
In one video, a ball they had brought along moved off a grave bearing the name Thomas. Paul noted: “The spirits also produced the word ‘abandoned’ which made us think about how the graveyard is abandoned and nobody takes care of the graves any more causing them to become overgrown and almost invisible in places.”
When Ed began clearing ivy and leaves from a nearby grave, making it more visible, the spirits expressed gratitude, producing the words ‘thank you so much’ and stating it was nice to see them.
Speaking on his ghost-hunting experiences, Paul said: “This is one of those locations that will definitely be ongoing for us. The spirits that reside there enjoyed our company and were glad that we returned to communicate with them. And we hope that the spirit that is in denial about being dead isn’t too offended.”