Things that go bump in the store.
Supermarket girls are trying to solve the riddle of the flying Spam tin or the eerie rattling of butcher’s steak knives. The bearded ghost is frightening some of the Tesco girls and cleaners. They believe his murdered spirit was upset when Shopping City was built and he still takes revenge by haunting the supermarket shelves by day and night.
Petite Jean Watts, an 18-years-old meat counter assistant, was in the meat preparation room alone when she saw a long sharpened butcher’s knife lift itself to bang relentlessly on a table. She fled. She said: “I was terrified and just ran away. Many of us believe there is a ghost here and it frightens us.”
Meanwhile among other strange occurrences: A cleaner observed a Spam tin levitate through the air; Shop-girls have heard buzzers go off when no-one was near; Even the space invader machines in the rest area have not been exempt… they play themselves without anyone near.
The buzzer story was confirmed by pretty Theresa Hart. She said: “When the buzzer kept on going I thought it was the ghost.” Floor manager Arthur Cannon said: “The ghost is supposed to be an old man with a beard who was murdered where we are now, many years ago.”
Another male employee said: “There was a notice put up saying that if the ghost were seen to throw anything again, he would be subject to immediate dismissal and exorcism.”
Runcorn Guardian, 13th March 1981.