WC BOO!

Over the course of time the mighty Thames has claimed many a life. Suicides favour the jump into the water over a glass of the stuff, villains have been known to dress their victims in concrete boots before inviting them for a swim in the river and there have been tragic accidents whereby Londoners have drowned or been dashed to ribbons on the banks. It is perhaps unsurprising that some of these people who died in such unhappy circumstances have returned to haunt the site of their last woebegone moments.

An unidentified ghost haunts the Thames North bank between Tower Bridge and Westminster Bridge, many believe the headless spectre to be that of Anne Boleyn but without her head she is difficult to identify with any confidence. The story goes that a young private was sentrygoing along the river when he witnessed the ghost. In the darkness he sensed an approach and saw a shady form. On his demand of “Who Goes There?” there was no reply, the figure just continued to glide onwards. When she advanced the sentry was aghast to see a headless woman in historic clothes, in panic he plunged his bayonet into her thorax whereupon she vanished.

In astonishment the guard fell faint and, on coming to, an officer was arresting him for sleeping on duty. The sentry was acquitted at trial because several other men came forward saying that they too had witnessed paranormal happenings while patrolling the Thames from the Tower to Parliament Square. The ghost has not been seen for over twenty years now but if it is Anne Boleyn, maybe she’ll be making another ghostly appearance soon to mark 500 years since she was alive.