Solihull Residential
Case Ref No. CTVSOL09
Date of Investigation : February 17th 2009
Case Manager : Mr. David Sadler
Investigators : Kirst D’Raven, Steve Mera, Phil Bordley & Della Bordley
Case Report compiled by : Steve Mera
Notes: This investigation was initiated by Cactus TV , a production team
associated with the Richard and Judy TV Show, who accompanied UPIA
on their investigation which was later shown on TV.
Case Details.
Reece, a young boy aged twelve years claims to have captured an amorphous apparition on his
mobile telephone whilst filming on the upstairs landing of their home in Solihull, Birmingham. Reece later showed the footage to his relatives who in turn contacted the Sun newspaper which ran the story and placed the footage online for the world to see.
The short piece of footage shows Reece on the upstairs landing of the home and is generally seen to be playing around with his mobile phone. Then suddenly a dark mass that resembles the shape of a figure moves from left to right across the field of view.
At this point Reece is heard to say ;’Oh My God!’ before the footage abruptly ends. The UPIA are to investigate the authenticity of this footage and are accompanied by Cactus TV production crew so to film the event and later broadcast it on the Richard and Judy show.
The Sun Newspaper Article.
Wrote by Virgina Wheeler and published on February 12th 2009 read… ‘A schoolboy has captured eerie footage of what he claims is a ghost striding towards banisters at his home‘. Terrified Reece Pitman, 12, heard whistling and used his mobile to film the shadowy being.
It came days after his nine-year-old sister complained that someone was mysteriously finishing her jigsaws at night. The lad showed the amazing footage which must be seen to be believed to mum Tonia, 38. She said: Reece looked scared witless. In the clip a white shadow appears from my bedroom followed by the dark image of a man.
"It crosses the landing and disappears when it reaches the banisters. Tonia, of Solihull, Birmingham, said she consulted a psychic who told her the ghost could be friendly. Sales assistant Tonia said: I’ve had a tough time recently as my husband left me. I didn’t believe in ghosts but I’m thinking of the spectre as my guardian angel. Julian Banks of the British Paranormal Society said the film was potentially the best image of a ghost in years.
Response to Sun Newspaper article.
To begin with, the Sun Newspaper article sensationalises the facts such as claims that Reece was in fact terrified. Also there does seem to be some contradiction in regards a whistling sound associated with the apparition. There does not seem to be any mention of this during our interview procedure. Sensationalism is also associated with the footage, haling it using such terms as Amazing, Seen to Believe and Potentially the best image of a ghost in years.
Before any reader continues, they are already put in the mindset that the footage is authentic and shows something rather amazing. Reece’s mother, Tonia decides to seek out an alleged psychic and is surprised that she is told the ghost could be friendly… Oh dear, we are going from bad to worse. If Tonia was unsure if phenomena was taking place before her visit to this alleged psychic, you can bet your bottom dollar she believes it now. Re-enforced by suggestion and remarks made which would convince her to conclude paranormal phenomena.
Finally, there is of course this small matter in regards an alleged statement from Julian Banks of the British Paranormal Society. Claiming the film was potentially the best image of a ghost in years. I have exhaustively searched for the British Paranormal Society (BPS) and the name Julian Banks and can find no other reference to this organisation or name except for the initial statement in regards the Solihull footage which went international. Therefore, until I can be provided with evidence that such a person and/or organisation are in fact real I will presume it is nothing more than false information publicised by the Sun Newspaper in a further attempt to sensationalise the event.
Investigation.
We attended the Home of Tonia Pitman and her son Reece Murphy and daughter Taylor Murphy which is situated at 5, Eden Road, Solihull, Birmingham, B92-9DX around 7.30pm. After our preliminary involvement with Cactus TV crew, which in my opinion hindered the investigation we were finally left to carry out the interviews.
Parental permission forms were completed so that we could ask the children about their experiences. It was not long before we realised that certain characteristics witnessed during hauntings were not reported nor evident. It is, in my opinion that for a haunting to reach a level of interaction and apparitions of figures to be seen, a much more diverse range of anomalies are often reported or experienced. However in this particular case, it was not so. This was the first indicator that we may be dealing with a case that has a rational explanation.
Investigation of the upstairs landing did not reveal anything unusual. The walls had recently be prepared for wall papering and were stripped to the plaster. The main light source was the overhead landing light and a single window at the side of the staircase with a glass vase on its sill. There were no adverse reflective conditions, no visible obstacles and no atmospheric conditions. The temperature was a steady 72 degrees and did not fluctuate. No unusual electromagnetic anomalies nor any magnetic fluctuations. In fact, the only piece of equipment to register anything was the Ion Meter which registered particles within the Nylon carpet. This was of course, a very natural response. Measurements were taken indicating the height of the alleged apparition to be between 67 – 70 inches tall. It was not until we conducted video filming, photography and the attempted replication of the footage we discovered a feasible conclusion. When analysing the footage Reece took on his mobile phone, you could clearly see several lens flares, however when attempting to replicate the footage we could only find one reflective surface thus causing one of the flares. This was produced by light from the overhead landing light bouncing off the glass vase on the window sill.
None of the other lens flares seen of the original footage could be found on our replicated footage. We examined the doors, walls and door frames in hope of finding a reflective surface that could be responsible for light being cast back into the camera lens. None were found. It was at this point we considered the Counter Flare.
A counter flare is nothing more than a regular lens flare created by irregular angles, such as the light source being behind or above the camera and the reflective surface being in front of the camera.
Lenses have always been susceptible to excessive ghosting, often combined with a moderate resistance to flare as well. Despite sophisticated multi-coating treatment of the glass surfaces, unwanted internal reflections are prone to occur. Since light reflects off glass, clear plastic and other reflective surfaces, lens flare usually increases with the number of reflective elements within the camera lens reach. In regards counter flare, the problem is usually compounded with backlit subjects. Reflective surfaces in front of the camera catch the light source from behind and sometimes above the camera.
This can only be created by a clear reflective surface placed in front of the camera lens. Therefore when we place a piece of clear plastic such as a cd case close to the front of the mobile phone we can easily recreate the exact counter flares. In this case the light source (landing light) is slightly behind and above the camera which is reflecting off the clear cd case into the camera lens.
Now, all we have left to do is recreate the figure. To do this we simply draw on a cd case with a black marker pen (both cd case and black marker pen were easy to find in Reece’s bedroom), and draw a small figure onto the cd case. Then whilst filming on the mobile phone, place the cd case near the lens of the phone and simply move it from left to right in a slight bobbing motion. What your left with is a near perfect reconstruction of the original footage complete with dark figure walking from left to right and accompanied by counter flare.
Notes.
After further discussions with the family, it became quite obvious that they had contacted the Sun Newspaper so to obtain a handsome payment from them. I believe anything up to £500.00 is the going rate. Also, the family had been paid by Cactus TV which was probably around the same price. Finally they were all taken out for an all expenses paid meal.
The family had expressed their concern as to who owned the footage even though it was to be shown on the Richard and Judy show. Clearly they were concerned in not loosing their footage or rights to show it. Maybe this footage will rear its head again sometime in the future. The family also had a large interest in the subject and were aware of such TV shows as Most Haunted which Reece and his family enjoyed watching.
The family did not seem too surprised when we delivered our conclusion. When we asked Tonia for her opinion, she just said ’Well…… I believe Reece had seen something. I believe that such things exist. It’s really fascinating!’
Pre-Conclusion.
Due to being able to reconstruct the footage and that the family have earned themselves a tidy
amount of money and notoriety from the case, coupled with the fact that not one other incident have been reported which might be considered paranormal in origin, and that no further incidents have occurred. I am pleased to say that under the circumstances, UPIA investigators and Case Manager believe this to be a Hoax.
The original Solihull footage is available on You Tube to view along with the footage of the Reconstruction.
Conclusion.
HOAX
Case Closed : April 22nd 2009.
This footage is also available, along with the UPIA recreated footage on the UPIA facebook group.
