'TOMMY' THE AIRMAN
Another visitor tells of her ghostly encounter...
"The story I relate refers to the ghost of an airman who, for some unknown reason, is called 'Tommy'. Not a great deal is known about him, except that he Is young - maybe about 19-21. He hangs about outside an electrical wholesaler in Carlisle. There is an industrial estate built on the site of what used to be an airfield during WW2. Whether he died at the site or was a local that was killed in action isn't known. My own intuition tells me that he was a local, indeed I think I know who he is!
Only ever seen 2 or 3 times over the years, 'Tommy' is totally harmless. He was seen one night by a woman waiting for her husband, who was a supervisor at the branch, and who had called in for something. As she was sitting looking through the door a young man just walked through one wall, across the width of the corridor and through another wall! When her husband returned to the car she asked who else was in working. He said that there wasn't anybody else in. She has never set foot in the branch again!
He has been heard walking on a hard floor such as tarmac - in a carpeted area. The gentleman in question who heard this NEVER worked in there on his own again.
I worked at the branch for ten months and saw him once, although I always knew when he was about. I was walking through the well-lit warehouse one day when he walked through the wall with a flying jacket on. He walked down the aisle as was, then carried on through a rack and just vanished.
He had a sense of humour and was a little bit nosey - he just wanted to know what was happening. Once or twice his visits were preceded by the sound of an old 'plane - possibly a spitfire, I don't know. He used to stand behind us watching us, which could get a bit un-nerving. I knew he was there and I could pinpoint where he was standing because there was an icy spot surrounding him.
I went in one day to collect something, just as the branch was closing for the weekend. The guy locking up refused to put the lights on, so I took the key and went up the warehouse - there were skylights so it wasn't dark. However, I was nervous - he was standing in the shadows watching me. I got myself in such a state that I could not get the key in the keyhole. This was in the middle of summer, so it was quite warm - I had a t-shirt on. I just KNEW he was coming towards me - I can't explain the feeling, I just knew beyond any doubt and the temperature had dropped. My hand was shaking, there was no way that key was going in. Then a hand took hold of mine, put the key in the door and opened the door for me. I just said 'Thank you Tommy'. An incredible sense of calm came to me then and I was never frightened after that.
One incident did throw a few others and me in the office though. I commented that I could do with a hole punch - and a big one travelled about 5ft from the shelf, hit the side of my desk and then clattered to the floor. Bless him, he was only trying to help but we didn't hear from him for a while because I shouted at him."
Debra Penrice
A GHOST IN YOUR HOUSE | AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE | SOMETHING IN THE AIR
DERBY AND MOAN | THE GEORGE HOTEL | THE HOUSE IN