Highlights of the event included:   Talks on everything from ghosts and hauntings to ufos, Paranormal workshops,, live ESP and psychokinesis tests,, a very special live paranormal experiment, three very special guests:  Dave Sadler, James Griffiths and Lionel Fanthorpe.

Monday 10^th

Once the equipment was set up on stage and the sizeable audience had arrived, getting off to a good start was essential and that was left in the hands of MARA speaker, Mark Rosney, an experienced presenter who gives a serious talk, breaking it up with a good sense of humour.

His introductory talk, Shaping Reality, highlighted the importance given by ancient cultures to rituals which they believed could ensure a good harvest or even help them to succeed in battle.  Mark explained how the echoes of those beliefs remain to this day, but now appear to be backed up by recent scientific discoveries which suggest that not only can we shape events around us, but that we can shape reality itself. 

This talk was followed by an experiment to see if the concentration of the audience could effect the random movement of an on-screen ball.

In the final part of his talk – Science meets Spirituality – Mark explored the wisdom of the ancients, from Hindu creation beliefs to the Greeks’ ideas of matter and the working of the solar system, to show that there really is ‘nothing new under the sun’.  This talk was very interesting and a subject new to many, including myself.   

Tuesday 11^th

Bill Bimson opened day two with an ongoing investigation into a recurring aerial phenomenon known as the Halewood Lights in the Sky (LITS).  Film evidence was shown of strange balls of light seen above Halewood over a five-year period.  The phenomenon was presented objectively, leaving the audience to form its own opinions. 

A short talk followed on Project Orbituary – an experiment carried out over a number of weeks demonstrating how orbs can be created and caught on camera.  In Paranormal Week 2004 MARA members demonstrated that most, if not all, so-called ‘paranormal’ orbs that mysteriously appear on camera, are not the ‘first manifestation of a ghost or spirit’ but are, in fact, very small particles of dust, pollen, moisture or insects that are illuminated by camera flash and appear semi-transparent and much bigger than real life. 

However, one class of orb is not as easy to explain: the ‘Annular Orb’.  MARA has embarked on a research project to see if this very rare class of orb ‘apparition’ could be captured, identified, understood and, hopefully, replicated to order.  Findings to date were presented to the audience.

The final talk of the evening, Haunted Liverpool, was presented by Rob Bethall (who shouts a lot).  This was a fascinating aerial tour of Liverpool, zooming in on individual locations and their stories – a ‘magical mystery tour’ around the city’s most haunted theatres, discovering elements of Liverpool’s more sinister past - ghosts, apparitions, time-slips and foul deeds aplenty!

Wednesday 12^th

MARA members Mike Jaega and Mark Rosney started off with a Local Paranormal Update on activities in Halton which went down well with the audience as many were familiar with these mysteries.

MARA member John Hall gave a very interesing account of Mysteries of the Isle of Man , a place many people have visited at some time.

A First-Hand Evidence Workshop followed, requiring interaction with the audience.  The importance of gathering first-hand witness accounts was highlighted, showing how details are missed or changed by people giving statements. 

The night finished with an interesting talk given by guest speaker Dave Sadler, founder member of UPIA, the Unknown Phenomena Investigation Association, on the Bridestones - Cheshire ’s archaelogical and paranormal mystery.  Often described as an ‘outlier of the Neolithic monuments of the White Peak ’, the Bridestones, lying along the line of the Cheshire/Staffordshire border, is undoubtedly Cheshire ’s most impressive and well-known ancient monument.

The audience learnt more about the history, paranormal mysteries and theories for these stones and were left with much to think about following Dave’s well-researched talk.

Thursday 13^th

On Thursday the evening opened with The Sam Experiment Revisited.  Last year MARA, with the help of James Griffiths, a Widnes-based psychic medium who is the resident medium for the psychic museum in York, owned by Uri Geller and Johann Cainer, astrologer for the Daily Mail, conducted an experiment by trying to invoke paranormal phenomena via a made-up character called Sam, whose life-story was created by library staff at Halton Lea. 

With the aid of James, MARA was able to detect anomalous phenomena, such as electromagnetic fluctuations and cold spots, which occurred in front of a packed audience. 

This year James Griffiths, together with MARA members and some of the audience, tried to expand the experiment by using higher tech electronics, and readings were taken from an assortment of electrical instruments.  It went down very well creating a tangible air of anticipation.

MARA member, Peter Tiernan, then gave an excellent talk on Mysterious Disappearances of people and objects and also on timeslips, where people claim that they have momentarily been transported either back or forwards in time.

Friday 14th

Friday, known as Fright Night, was the highlight of the week.  A boxing ring was set up on stage for the debate on Who was the Real Jack the Ripper?  In one corner Rob Bethall, and in the other Mike Jaega; both arguing their cases strongly and giving excellent theories on the subjects  The audience was then allowed to vote, finding …………. ‘Guilty’.

The larger than life Lionel Fanthorpe was the very special guest of the week -  a man who should be sponsored by Duracell Batteries because he presents with such ease and keeps going and going and going on a number of subjects, ending a very fine week on a high. 

A lot of hard work was put into Paranormal week by members of both Halton Libraries and MARA, and they should be congratulated on their effort and enthusiasm.  

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