Mary and Don's House Many years ago whilst working as a nurse, Mary cared for an elderly couple living in a beautiful mid eighteenth century cottage in the Pallance Lane area of Northwood, formerly known as Tinkers Lane. The elderly lady would remark about 'one of them' being present in her home 'again' but would not elaborate. In time, the couple decided to move into a residential home sold the cottage to Mary. Mary, her husband Don and their two sons moved in early in the 1980s and unusual occurrences began quickly. Their youngest son once enquired as to why he had been shaken awake in his bed in the middle of the night; their eldest son would turn on every light in the house whenever he was alone and Don had found himself moved to the side by unseen hands whilst making repairs in the bathroom. The scent of flowers would drift through downstairs, but in their bedroom they would sometimes notice the smell of bacon and eggs being cooked, only for it to vanish as quickly as it had appeared. Footsteps could be heard tracking up the stairs into the bathroom and they often found their pets staring fixedly at the empty staircase. Events came to a head when, one night, Mary awoke to find an old woman she did not recognise standing over her bed. Described as having beady eyes set deep in a wrinkled face; grey tied-back hair and dressed in tatty patchworked clothing.
