Neil Arnold's new book SHADOWS IN THE SKY - OUT NOW!

SHADOWS IN THE SKY: THE HAUNTED AIRWAYS OF BRITAIN







(Published by The History Press)


Press Release


For centuries mankind has reported unusual phenomena in the skies of Britain. From reports of UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects), strange winged creatures, and aerial ghosts. Now, for the first time ever, monster-hunter and author Neil Arnold has collated a vast amount of bizarre tales pertaining to those not only dark and stormy skies, but clear blue heavens which for many years have spat out all manner of anomalies.


With so many books being written about UFOs, Neil has decided to concentrate on the more unusual reports of unexplained aerial lights, such as aircraft encounters with peculiar objects, phantom flares, ghost lights, will-o-the-wisp’s and fairy lights. The book also features a chapter on spectral aircraft – mainly war-planes which continue to be seen on foggy moors long after they’ve been shot down. There is also coverage of ghostly airmen, phantasmal helicopters and ghost rockets, and not forgetting haunted airports and airfield’s. However, if you thought these chapters were weird (or not weird enough!) then wait until you read about the winged monsters said to have plagued British skies for many centuries. Fantastic tales of dragons, said to have appeared all over the UK, from the cattle-plucking beasts of Welsh lore to London’s flying serpents. Winged, red-eyed humanoids also sneak into the pages, coverage given to classic aerial anomalies such as the Owlman of Cornwall, the Hythe monster, and the lesser known Hertfordshire ‘Mothman’ and the like. Griffins, giant birds, leather-winged batmen, flying jellyfish and sky-bound horses and dogs, occupy a surreal Ark also inhabited by spectral birds and feathery omens of death….and don’t forget a few tales of harmonious angels


When you’ve escaped the ethereal menagerie, you’ll be scratching your head at tales of all manner of bizarre items and objects that have fallen from the sky. Whilst pennies, fish and frogs may be known to many Fortean’s, obscure cases in relation to falls of snails, slime, metal, wheat, clothes, blood and even excrement may be more unknown! And let’s not forget a chapter on those pesky phantom airships, aerial roads and buildings, flying boats, and yep, you’ve guessed it, even a flying pig! This is a book for monster hunters, UFO spotters, ghost investigators, and the insane.


With a foreword by author Nick Redfern, SHADOWS IN THE SKY: THE HAUNTED AIRWAYS OF BRITAIN is one book that’ll have you reaching for your umbrella. Those who dare pull their eyes away from the skies, can purchase the book from Amazon, and all good bookshops.


Neil Arnold is the author of several books, such as MONSTER! THE A-Z OF ZOOFORM PHENOMENA, MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON, and MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: KENT. He is a full-time lecturer on mystery animals.


ISBN – 9780752465630 For enquiries contact The History Press on 01453 883300

London's demon cat

Over at his Shuker Nature blog, zoologist friend Dr Karl Shuker looks at an intriguing case regarding a war-time monster cat. Read more HERE

More on that'Spring-Heeled Jack Story'...

Alien ? Ghost ? Prankster ? No-one really knows what Spring-Heeled Jack is, or was, and he certainly didn't spook a family on a stretch of Surrey road....but something did. Read more about it here: http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/9574836.Paranormal_experts_weigh_in_on_dark_figure_mystery/

Is Spring-Heeled Jack prowling Surrey ? (Probably not but here's the story anyway!)

According to the Epsom Guardian of Thursday 23rd February, 'Terrified Banstead family confronted by 'dark figure' on bypass', with Lauren May reporting: 'A taxi ride home on Valentine's night turned into a nightmare when a family were confronted by a terrifying apparition that looked and moved like the legendary Spring Heeled Jack.


'Scott Martin and his family were travelling home by taxi from Stoneleigh on Tuesday, February 14, at about 10.30pm when they saw a mysterious ‘dark figure with no features’ dart across the road in front of them before leaping 15ft over a roadside bank as they approached Nescot College on the Ewell bypass. Spooked by their seemingly supernatural experience the couple’s four-year-old son, Sonny, was too scared to sleep on his own that night, while the petrified taxi driver admitted he didn’t want to drive back alone.




Mr Martin, 40, the manager of a building company who lives in Blue Cedars in Banstead, said: "We were driving down the Ewell bypass and saw a man on the other side of the road. We didn't pay much attention until he started crossing over to our side of the road, the next thing he jumped over the centre fencing in the road and ran across our two lanes. On the side of our road is a bank easily 15ft in height and this figure crossed our road, climbed this bank and was gone from sight all in about two seconds. All four of us were baffled and voiced our sighting straight away with the same detail. A dark figure with no real features, but fast in movement with an ease of hurdling obstacles I've never seen. My last image was of him going through the bushes at the top of the bank. I'm not usually one to be freaked by these sightings but the cab driver was petrified. He didn't want to drive back alone. I am honestly baffled by this sighting and we are intrigued by it because it was so real but so strange."


'His wife Sacha, 37, who is an accountant added: "It was more that someone was trying to cross the road of a dual carriageway that was weird. My little boy was really freaked out."


The family has since likened the figure to the legendary Spring Heeled Jack - a mysterious dark figure reported to be responsible for a string of attacks in the 1800s and known for his ability to leap great heights first sighted in Wandsworth in 1837.
Mary Stevens was walking home along Lavender Hill when a tall figure leapt out grabbing her and firmly kissing her before releasing her with a loud laugh, leaping high into the air and disappearing.
Sightings continued across Victorian London, others describing Jack’s red flaming eyes and claws, so much so that in 1938 the Lord Mayor of London declared him a public nuisance leading one vigilante group to attempt to capture him, albeit unsuccessfully.
However there had been no reported sightings in Epsom and Ewell, the last sighting recorded in Birmingham in 1986.
Mr Martin added: "It was something we all saw and it wasn’t imagination. I’m quite a sensible man but I have never seen anything move that quickly across the road and not been startled by the fact that we were driving toward him. It's the first time we have ever seen anything like this. If it was a burglar it is the fastest I had ever seen anyone run. That's the only other explanation. But it was just too quick."
Both Surrey Police and Nescot College confirmed they had received no reports of unusual incidents or sightings in the area that night.
Have you had a similar experience?
Contact the newsdesk on 020 8722 6346 or email newsdesk@epsomguardian.co.uk




It be worth noting that elsewhere on this site there is mention of a more recent SHJ incident which took place in London, and it also reminds me of another incident which took place in Kent a few years ago involving a female motorist who crashed her car when a tall, black spindly figure walked across the road in front of her. The figure, which had a domed head and no other distinguishing features had a peculiar swing to its long arms and its knees, as it walked, came up under its chin! Another series of Spring Heel'ed Jack appearances were reported during the early 1800s in Croydon, Surrey. The Morning Post of December 7th 1809 reported on 'A Monster', stating that the area had been 'alarmed for this fortnight past by an inhuman wretch who sallies in a black mask, a dark coloured cloak and military boots with long spurs. He is a tall stout made man.'

Surrey puma and a black leopard sightings...

Fnd out more at the Surrey Puma website

CFZ Press release for MYSTERY ANIMALS....LONDON

The Centre for Fortean Zoology’s Mystery Animals of the British Isles series continues to put out detailed guides to the weirder side of Britain’s zoology, and Neil Arnold’s latest book, Mystery Animals of the British Isles: London is no exception.




Every aspect of the capital’s strange fauna is analysed, with sections on Alien Big Cats, the Highgate Vampire, sky and water beasts, as well as a look at the weird goings on in Harrods and the Tower of London, making this book an extremely detailed reference guide to the strange goings on throughout the years in London.



Though still a sprawling metropolis, London is still a hub for odd happenings. Take for instance, the vultures in the parks, the London Goatman, the beast of Ruislip, giant catfish in the canals, scorpions in the supermarkets, huge rats in the sewers, the Brentford Griffin, fish-falls, Spring-Heeled Jack and spectral horses, and you end up with a city far stranger than one would expect!



Elegantly written in an engaging style, Arnold manages to weave together the complicated zoological mysteries surrounding London into a comprehensive volume vast in scope, but still prefect for bedtime reading. You will never walk the streets of London in quite the same mindset ever again…

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON is available from Amazon

Mystery beast lurks in London's Olympic Park

Terrapin ? Catfish ? Giant pike ? The mystery unravelled at the Daily Mail, courtesy of Cryptozoology News from 17th December