RICK HALE shines some light on the darkness and horrors that lurks in the haunted Drakelow Tunnels near Kidderminster in Worcestershire, England.
There are a number of underground complexes across Britain that were built for the purpose of protecting members of the government in the event of an all-out nuclear war.
These nuclear fallout bunkers remain a silent reminder of a tense time when the potential for world destruction was a mere push of a button away.
A small number of these bunkers have gained a reputation over the years for harbouring the spirits of the people who once lived and worked in them.
And much like Kelvedon Hatch Secret Bunker, Drakelow Tunnels near the town of Kidderminster is one such bunker.
History Of Drakelow Tunnels
Designed by Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners, excavation on the subterranean tunnel system began in 1941.
Its original purpose was to act as a backup factory for the Rover Car Company, in the event the main factory was destroyed by the Nazis during World War II.
In 1958, as tensions between the Soviet Union and the western allies intensified, the Home Office converted the tunnels into a regional seat of government.
Like Kelvedon, politicians and nobility would be kept safe until the missiles stopped flying.
In 1993, the Ministry of Defense, decommissioned Drakelow Tunnels and sold the property off to be developed as residential and commercial space.
Before the demolition began, several local residents formed the Drakelow Preservation Trust in response to the planned demolition.
To them, the tunnels deserved to be protected and preserved as a site of historical significance.
The government agreed with their mission to save the Cold War relic and it was spared the wrecking ball.
Death Leads To Drakelow Being Haunted
Throughout its history, there were a number of deaths in the tunnels that may have led to it being haunted.
The first recorded death occurred in 1941, when the tunnels were under construction.
While blasting in tunnel 1, Harry Depper and two of his co-workers were crushed to death by falling rocks.
A fourth death happened shortly thereafter. Mary Ann Bettel, was run over by a truck delivering building materials.
And lastly, a group of workers got the bright idea to ride the conveyor belt. When they couldn’t get off, they were mangled by machinery.
With all the death and bloodshed surrounding the construction of Drakelow Tunnels, people began to think the project was cursed.
Music From Beyond
The first reported brush with the supernatural happened to the caretaker in late 1993.
One evening as he inspected the kitchen in tunnel 1, the sound of 1940s era music suddenly began playing.
Curious to see where the mysterious big band music was coming from, he made his way towards the former Rover Car factory.
When he came to the end of the tunnel, the eerie music abruptly stopped. He found himself once again surrounded by nothing but silence.
Mystified by the peculiar occurence, he decided to resume his rounds when the music struck up again.
According to the caretaker, what started out as a five minute patrol, turned into a six hour quest to find the mysterious music.
The Mist
Although most of the paranormal activity has been experienced by the caretaker, visitors have reported frightening encounters with the unknown.
Visitors have reported seeing a human shaped mist gliding from room to room in tunnel 4 near the regional government headquarters.
A number of times people have thought the dark mist was fire that formed in one of the rooms.
When the caretaker goes to check, no flames are found and the area where the mist was seen is unnaturally cold.
Investigations at Drakelow Tunnels
Since 2000, several paranormal investigators and psychic mediums have been allowed to conduct investigations of the tunnels.
Sudden drops in temperature were recorded and each person has reported they felt as if someone was keeping tabs on them from the shadows.
In response to the haunting of Drakelow Tunnels, Yvette Fielding and her Most Haunted crew filmed an investigation at the tunnels. Paranormal Lockdown has also investigated there.
During a period of 48 hours, they experienced much of the activity that has been reported here for almost three decades.
If you can handle being sealed up in an underground tunnel looking for ghosts, Drakelow Tunnels may be for you.
I warn you though, bring a flashlight, the sun never shines this deep underground.
