NOT PROVIDED
Telephone: / 0345 123 3333
Fax: / 01773 572639
Tel Ext: / 700 2776
Direct Line:
Ask For: / Freedom of Information
Our Ref: / 001072/11
Your Ref: / GHOST SIGHTINGS
Date: / 20 July 2011
Dear MR STEVENSON
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST - REFERENCE NO: 001072/11
I write in connection with your request for information which was received by Derbyshire Constabulary on 06/07/2011. I note you seek access to the following information:
I would like to know how many Ghost sightings, UFO Sightings, alleged paranormal activity and reports of witches there were in the area please, over the last 10 years. Also if possible, the locations of these activities, the dates and times that they took place and any other information that is not subject to privacy laws and could be available in the public domain.
Refinement
Please accept this message as written confirmation that I am content for your researchers to work on the last three years rather than the ten as originally requested.
Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within Derbyshire Constabulary to locate information relevant to your request. I can confirm that Derbyshire Constabulary holds the information you have requested.
Extent of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted at Performance Delivery
Result of Searches
The searches located records relevant to your request. We have been able to retrieve information from 1st January 2005 onwards.
Recording is by way of free text entry and unless appropriate words were a part of both the recording and the retrieval search entries may not be recovered. The only way in which to ensure the retrieval of all relevant recordings would be by way of manual perusal of all reported incident for the 2 and a half years you request. We record in excess of 500,000 incidents per year and even at some 10 seconds per records the resource time required as you can see would be far in excess of the time we are obliged to provide under the Freedom of Information legislation.
Section 12(2) provides that a public authority can refuse a request if the cost of complying with section 1(1) (a) alone, that is the cost of confirming or denying whether the information requested is held, would exceed the cost limit.
In this case the public authority is not able to confirm precisely what is held that falls within the scope of the request, but does not dispute that information of relevance is held. The considerations are on whether the cost limit would be exceeded through compliance with the requirement of section 1(1) (b).
Regulation 4(3) provides that the following factors can be taken into account when formulating a cost estimate:
(a) Determining whether it holds the information,
(b) Locating the information, or a document which may contain the information,
(c) Retrieving the information, or a document which may contain the information, and
(d) Extracting the information from a document containing it.
This means that, in effect, there is a time limit of 18 hours. Section 12(2) provides that the public authority is not obliged to confirm or deny whether it holds information falling within the scope of the request if to do so would, in itself, exceed the cost limit.
Therefore, in pursuance of the limits identified within Section 12 and associated legislation, we are unable to confirm or deny the existence or extent of what relevant information may or may not be held by the Force.
Although under the legislation we are required to assist you as best we are able in this instance we are only able to offer an alternative option in terms of a retrieval based upon the use of free text words “cat”; “animal”; “panther”, UFO”, *ghost*, *spirit* etc. This has been undertaken and the retrieved information since January 2005 in provided below.
It is our policy to decline the opportunity to undertake such retrieval at cost payment as the apparent result appears to be disproportionate to the effort of our resources to achieve it.
I am sorry therefore that on this occasion we are unable to provide you the information you requested but I hope you understand that there is a finite limit to the amount and scope of retrievable information we record in terms of effective resource use.
In order to assist you to the best of our ability I have included the following information of the reported sightings which we were able to retrieve – some are cursory reports but you may note that one of the reports is quite recent and repetitive. You may also be interested to know that in the past there was a zoo at Riber, near Matlock.
Date: 13 June 2005
Location: Codnor, Ripley, Derbyshire
Description: Big cat sighting
Date: 13 June 2005
Location: Belper, Derbyshire
Description: Suspected big cat attack on animals
Date: 10 July 2005
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire
Description: Big cat sighting
Date 3 January 2006
Location Kirk Hallam
Report received of 2 people seeing a large black panther in fields. It walked away and then returned and was definitely a panther, which roared as it walked away.
Date 17 June 2006
Location South Wingfield
There has been a report of sightings of a large black cat like creature in the local paper. I have just seen one similar, it was massive.
Date 19 June 2006
Location Hilcote
2 separate reports received of seeing a large black panther in a field – witnessed by two separate groups of people. Claim that previous sightings had also been made but not reported.
Date: 6 August 2006
Location: Greenland Avenue, Derby
Description: Large gingery coloured cat – larger than a domestic cat with long tail which hung low and curled at end – ears much larger than a normal domestic cat.
Date: 3 September 2006
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire
Description: Large Black cat – low to ground – looked like a panther
Date 23 November 2006
Location Darley Dale
Report that a large black cat which was believed to be a panther ran in front of vehicle.
Date: 3 December 2006
Location: Dronfield, Derbyshire
Description: Suspected large cat attack on rabbit hutch literally ripping hutch from the shed it was fastened to. Large cat like footprints in soil
Date 28 May 2007
Location: Brassington, Derbyshire
Incident report – About an hour ago I saw a very big cat in Brassington. We were on the main road and it crossed the road and went round the field towards the Stone Works. It was definitely bigger than a dog and looked like a panther, it was black.
Date 30 June 2007
Location; Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire
Incident report - At 1030 hrs whilst travelling in my car through Ashford in the Water I have seen a large black cat in a field. The cat was the size of a panther and had a long tail. It was also seen by my wife and friend.
Date 30 September 2007
Location Belper
Report received of seeing a UFO. It was like the tip of an arrow – triangular with orange lights making no sound
Date 13 December 2007
Location: Old Hackney Lane, Hackney, Matlock
Incident report – My wife and I have seen a large black animal – larger than an Alsatian with a long thin tail.
Date 27 June 2008
Location – Staveley
Caller states last night son had awoken screaming that there was a ghost, a figure of a man, in the bedroom. Had awoken again tonight screaming and when trying to enter the bedroom something was pulling her back out of the room.
Date 25 July 2008
Location Ripley
Report received of 3 UFO’s flying overhead. Photographs taken.
Date 23 November 2008
Location: Buxton Road, Chinley.
Incident report – I have just taken the dog for a walk and saw a massive black animal (possibly Puma) – it was stalking – it was not a dog it was too big. Officer attended area and found a very large black dog in the area relating to the report.
Date 19th January 2009
Location Wirksworth
Report received that cattle had been spooked in field and had broken down gate. Large cat paw print found at scene – pad 3 inches across. Photographs were taken of the print with a ruler alongside it. Paw print destroyed by rain.
Date 26 January 2009
Location: Whatstandwell, Derbyshire
Incident report - I've been told by neighbours that police may be interested in the sighting of a big cat. My partner saw it last week on our patio and it jumped down 8ft and ran off. This morning I’ve been watching it stalking the cows at the back of our house in the field, and I’ve just seen it again stalking the cows. 2 walkers came along and startled it and it has run back in the woods so it’s obviously living in there.
Date 16 February 2009
Location Sandiacre
Report received of seeing a UFO which appeared as a bright light in the sky for some 20 minutes. Seen to split apart then re join.
Date 8 March 2009
Location Chaddesden
Caller claimed that there was a ghost in the house
Date 6 April 2010
Location Littleover
Report received of seeing a massive black cat which tried to attack dog. Had a long tail and moved like a panther.
Date 30 May 2010
Location Nether Heage
Report received of large black panther seen walking down road.
Date 21 June 2010
Location Overseal
Report received on seeing a large black cat. I have been on line and am now sure it was a black panther.
Date 23 June 2010
Location New Whittington
Report of “chasing a UFO”
Date 27 September 2009
Location Sandybrook, Ashbourne
Report received of 2 sheep being killed over a short period of time. One of the sheep is half eaten. From marks and state of carcass unlikely a large dog, more likely a panther.
Date - 28 May 2010
Location – Derby
Male caller stating he had a knife, was cutting himself. When asked if he still had the knife he replied that did had had it but the ghost had now taken it.
Date 15 November 2010
Location Mickleover
Report received of seeing a big cat whilst out walking dog. Described as bright brindle colour with white legs, first believed to be a deer until it turned and walked away, then looked like a big cat.
Date 29 May 2011
Location Crich
Report that caller may have problem with a lynx or panther causing horses to be spooked. There have been sightings locally of a “big cat”.
None of these suspected incidents could be substantiated. No thermal imaging equipment was utilised. We do not record the amount of time officers take for each incident or task they are allocated to. All matters are regarded as an integral part of the core policing role and as much time as is necessary in each circumstance is allocated. I am sorry therefore that we do not hold the amount of time allocated to individual reports / investigations.
In keeping with the spirit and effect of the Freedom of Information Act, all information is assumed to be releasable to the public unless exempt. The department therefore, will be simultaneously releasing to the public the information you requested.
N.B
Police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide statistics and information to government bodies and the recording criteria is set nationally. However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data and information. It should be noted that for these reasons this force's response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.
Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large disparate administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. The detail collected to respond specifically to your request is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
The figures provided therefore are our best interpretation of relevance of data to your request but you should be aware that the collation of figures for ad hoc requests may have limitations and this should be taken into account when those data are used.
If you decide to write an article / use the enclosed data we would ask you to take into consideration the factors highlighted in this document so as to not mislead members of the public or official bodies or misrepresent the relevance of the whole or any part of this disclosed material.
Complaint Rights
Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your right of complaint.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Derbyshire Constabulary.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or contact Stuart Barlow, Freedom of Information Manager, on telephone number 0345 123 3333 quoting the reference number.
Yours sincerely
Stuart Barlow
Freedom of Information Manager
Enc