Chris Thompson   Chris Thompson on the internet

If you’re not familiar with the UK theme park scene, there are basically two main theme parks in the UK: Thorpe Park, and Alton Towers. And the former has had some curious business going on, according to this article.

I must admit that, when I first saw the headline, my first thought turned to the idea as an idea for a story. But then I suppose most things do nowadays. This, though; this would be the perfect scene for a Graveyard Book style story, and I didn’t really click on expecting to find anything too serious. Perhaps someone had been spooked by some kids messing around; had been subject to some strange prank. But no, it seems that managers at the park are so scared that they have called in somebody to perform an exorcism.

It sounds like, for whatever reason, employees were fiddling around with a Ouija board on the Saw ride, and afterwards a number of spooky things started happening: lights flickering, footsteps being heard despite no one being there – that sort of thing. It all sounds very fishy. I haven’t been to experience the ride yet, but wouldn’t flickering lights be part of what makes the ride scary in the first place? I find it strange (but quite interesting) that the suits have deemed it necessary to try and exorcise any demons or unwanted spirits.

I’m quite tempted to take a trip there and check out the ride to see if it’s still even spookier than usual, although I suppose by now Rev Fanthorpe has sorted it all out. I suppose it’s possible that one or two of these spirits from the alternate dimension escaped his cleansing, though.