THE GHOSTS OF BIGGIN HILL - WW2 RAF FIGHTER BASE

One of the most haunted locations in the borough of Bromley is said to be Biggin Hill airfield, writes Neil Arnold.

For many years witnesses have come forward to report having encounters with spectral airmen who in most cases fade from view once observed.

The former RAF Biggin Hill

The spectres have been seen in some of the lanes surrounding the airfield and also in houses built on the old airfield.

It has long been considered that such pilots like to still linger at the airfield as it may have been the last place they were at their most happiest, although it could also be surmised that such airmen are in some type of limbo - their image replayed back to those susceptible enough to see them.

The same could also be said for the phantom spitfire that has been heard above the airfield - those fortunate enough to have seen the plane claim it performs a victory roll before completely disappearing.

The spectral airmen however are not simply confined the airfield - there have been numerous reports from Hayes Lane, Vincent Square, Chatterton Road and Addison Road of such spirits.

One of the more recent ghostly encounters at Biggin Hill took place in the chapel of St George's.

`The Few` - Scrambling for action against an enemy attack

Whilst putting together my book, Haunted Bromley, a man who worked in the building told me his friend has recently seen the figure of a man in airman attire but upon investigation he could not find the mystery figure.

The Crown Inn, Biggin Hill - Haunted former RAF pub

Just a few miles from Biggin Hill sits the delightfully named Leaves Green, and the pub here, The Crown Inn, is also be said to be haunted by an airman although sightings seem fleeting, but the main ghost said to haunt the premises is that of a miner, who in 1896 suffered a terrible accident in a nearby chalk mine.

His broken body was taken to the public house and it seems as if his restless soul has never left.

Like many reputed pub ghosts, the spectre is said to be responsible for the creaking floorboards, flickering lights, unnatural cold spots and the occasional object that seems to move of its own accord.

One thing however, that I've often found odd regarding the apparitions of planes and other vehicles, is as to why we never seem to get a sighting of the pilot/driver, floating in mid-air on his own?

Why should a pilot who died in a plane appear with an object that clearly has no soul? And yet there are numerous cases of ghostly planes, cars, buses, bikes etc

Source: NewsShopper