Ghostly Roman soldiers have been seen crossing Saddleworth Moor, part of a series of haunting mysteries tied to the area, writes GEMMA JOHNSON
Before I begin sharing the tales of Saddleworth Moor, I wanted to highlight that I am doing so with complete respect.
Saddleworth Moor became associated with horrific crimes of the 1960s, and the hauntings and tales that I explore within this article have no connection to the children who lost their lives in the most brutal of circumstances.
I refuse to use the names of the murderers and instead choose to remember the innocent victims: Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans.
Saddleworth Moor is part of the Peak District, covering 30 square miles consisting of valleys and hills that rise 400 feet above sea level.
It stretches through Oldham in Greater Manchester through to North Yorkshire.
At its highest point, it runs adjacent to the M62 motorway.
In the depths of the night, the moorland is eerie, lying still and silent, mysterious and daunting, hiding tales of tragedy and hauntings.
It is a formidable sight even on the sunniest of days.
Airmen, unidentified remains and even Roman soldiers are connected to the boggy marshland.
It is a popular attraction for hiking, and it is on these innocent hikes that most of the ghostly encounters have been experienced.
Many hikers have reported seeing a group of Roman soldiers walking across the moorland.
Appearing from behind a mound and walking across in front of surprised onlookers, they were so clear that they were thought to be actors recreating a scene, yet there is no audience and it is in a remote part of the moors.
The weather is not at all conducive to wearing costumes; it is harsh even in the midst of summer.
Further adding to the mystery, the group then disappears seemingly into thin air.
The theory is that these are the souls of soldiers who were ambushed.
Around 79 AD, there was a Roman fort on the moorland.
The soldiers are thought to be those trying to protect the fort, attacked by a group attempting to infiltrate it.
They continue to walk the moors today to protect the fort, remaining loyal in the afterlife.
The next reported sightings both relate to World War II.
World War II haunts Saddleworth Moor
The first are reports of a phantom aircraft, specifically a Lancaster bomber.
It has been heard, the sound of the propellers churning, before stalling with the sound of crashing that follows.
The experience has felt so lifelike that there have been genuine concerns of a plane crash occurring, but there is nothing there.
An actual phantom bomber has also been spotted, appearing to be in trouble and falling from the sky, before disappearing.
Possibly connected to this are sightings of an American World War II pilot.
He has been seen wandering the moorland looking confused, still in his uniform and appearing injured.
When people approach him to offer help, he disappears.
The moors are isolated and lonely, and they are also a place of mystery and intrigue, with stories hidden in their depths.
Body of man discovered on moors
One of these relates to the body of a man found on the moors in 2015.
The body of a male was discovered on a remote track, with no identification, no wallet and no mobile phone.
For two years, he was given the name Neil Dovestones by police, due to the area where he was found.
An investigation in 2017 eventually uncovered the identity of the man, who had flown from Pakistan and arrived in Manchester.
But the mystery deepens.
He was spotted on CCTV at a local pub asking for directions to a 1500 ft summit, which is part of the moorland.
This was the last time he was seen.
An inquest into his death found that he had died of strychnine poisoning, which is often used as a pesticide.
The coroner stated that he had died at his own hands, but there were still many questions surrounding his death.
An open verdict was recorded, and the mysterious circumstances of his death have never been solved.
Saddleworth Moor is vast, barren and mysterious.
She is the keeper of secrets and holds the answers to many questions.
When she is ready, she will reveal them.
