THE GHOST OF RED ROSE 999 M.W.
                 By
            John G. Sutton

On Wednesday the 20th May 1998 I was present at Red Rose Radio Station in Preston, Lancashire as an observer on an evening of Psychic Experiments. Now this radio station broadcasts from a de consecrated church. The spire still stands, the interior is vaulted but the message is now going out on 999 Medium Wave. As I drove into the grounds of Red Rose Radio, parking on what was once part of the graveyard of St. Paul's church, I felt strangely apprehensive. There is an atmosphere to any old church, here people were married, their babies christened, they held their funerals and some were buried. Now, this once proud house of God stands as a testament to modern, less Godly times. The moon shadows that the building cast on this dark but star filled night extended far beyond the tarmac car park of today, into the world of yesterday. How deep I was to discover later, as this mysterious evening unfolded.

In the studio I found that the host, Mr. Tony Newman, had invited the well known psychic researcher Joe Cooper (author of The Case Of The Cottingley Fairies) to act as adjudicator. I was to be a silent observer, invited in my capacity as the feature editor of this paper; Psychic World. The guest medium was Liverpool's top clairvoyant Derek Acorah. As we sat, sipping hot coffee, Tony Newman explained that the evening was to be split into various segments, each with a different Psychic Theme.

In the first hour Derek Acorah was to broadcast a Psychic Experiment, projecting his paranormal powers over the airwaves and asking the listeners to tune in to them. As the mystical music played and Derek concentrated his mind I looked over to Joe Cooper, who was laid back laconically in his chair sucking a lemon flavoured fruit drop. He never offered me one.

Then the calls came in thick and fast. One lady reported that she had been holding a picture of her son and suddenly the photograph had transmogrified into the image of her late mother. Derek was immediately able to sense the spirit of the ladies mother and advised that she was there in the next world helping and protecting the son. Amazingly Derek was able to say quite specifically that this boy had been killed in a road accident, a motor bike accident. At the end of the line I could hear the gasps of astonishment. Meanwhile Joe Cooper, who was acting as adjudicator for the nights proceedings, was into a raspberry flavour boiled sweetie. Then he spoke.

Anyone who has heard the legend that is Joe Cooper speak will know that this is one extremely erudite individual who really knows his stuff. He completely baffled Tony Newman with his esoteric profundity but got right to the heart of the matter as he explained that the caller with the photograph changed had experienced a form of ectoplasmic transmutation. In other words, her physical body's energy field had been used by the visiting spirit to alter the image before her. I was impressed.
 

At midnight Tony Newman invited Derek Acorah to conduct a psychic search of the building that had once been St. Paul's church. According to the Red Rose Radio host many members of staff at the station had been reporting seeing a dark figure at the foot of one of the old staircases. Derek was, in effect, being invited to conduct what is colloquially termed a 'ghostbust'.

As I watched Tony, Joe and Derek left the studio, linked live on air with mobile 'phones, to enter deep into the old church. There Derek Acorah was to try and locate the ghost of Red Rose Radio. As they walked forward I could see Derek becoming agitated. 'He's here now!' he called and reached forward pointing towards a distant stairway leading up to what would have been the area of the altar. There was a strange chill stillness in the air, as though someone had left open a fridge door. 'I can see him clearly' said Derek 'he's wearing an dirty old cloak round his body...his name...he's telling me his name...he says he's called Jacob...Jacob Jackson'.

Tony Newman was amazed at this, 'I can't see him' he said, 'where is he?'. Of course Derek couldn't make the spirit appear to the radio show host, but he could and did ask it to leave and go to its spiritual home. Calling for his guide to help Derek described how the ghost of Red Rose Radio was taken, out through what had once been the stained glass window above a consecrated altar, to his appointed place in the world beyond. Joe Cooper was making copious notes.

Back in the studio the telephones were ringing like crazy. This was obviously creating quite a sensation in Lancashire. Perhaps someone out there knew the truth, that's where it's supposed to be. At the request of myself the host Tony Newman promised to conduct some serious research into the history of St. Pauls church, Preston, Lancs. to see if he, or anyone else, could uncover any details about the man that Derek had identified as Jacob Jackson. So if any readers of Psychic World have information concerning this man they should telephone Mr. Tony Newman at Red Rose 999 M.W. on (01772) 900999.

So the evening ended on quite a climax and I was particularly pleased with the sincerity of all who took part. As I have said so often in the past, many radio stations set out to ridicule mediums. Not Red Rose and certainly not Tony Newman. Before we left the old church Joe Cooper shook my hand and expressed his admiration for Psychic World. Then he gave me a lemon flavoured sweet. I had made a friend.