Contact SSCOM Group:

SSCOM Group
PO Box 5091
Leicester
LE4 7XX
England, UK

Phone/Text: +44 (0) 7817 057078
Email: info@sscom-group.com

LOROS & Shelter Charity Fund raiser: 'Ghost-hunters' event, Tutbury Castle, East Staffs - Friday 22nd April-8pm to Saturday 23rd April 1994-8am.             (re-surrected 10 years later!!)

Six Leicester Students (including and led by current Founder of SSCOM Group - Ayaz Sheikh), spent the night, 'ghost-hunting', for 12 hours, locked up inside a 'haunted' dungeon. "I decided to come and take part, not only for the fun of it, but also to help in the raising of the money, as they are two good local charities", according to Barry Chatwin, fellow student. "The Group of people are either brave or lunatics", according to then Custodian of Tutbury Castle, Barry Vallans, as there was positive evidence of 'long-gone people' at the castle! "The Gruelling 12 hours, I suppose, is the best description. We experienced very cold temperatures in the dungeon, didn't see anything but heard a few noises. I was also afraid to be escorted to the toilets, in the ground of the Castle at 1am! Didn't get much sleep, either, so slept most of the Saturday", according to Ayaz. "We lost brand new batteries, it also seemed an endless night at times, but we're glad we did it, and didn't regret it, as we've helped worthy causes such as LOROS & Shelter", according to fellow student participant, Jane Roberts.

This event was covered briefly by the local newspaper, but on the evening of the event, Leicester Sound (103.2FM at that time) played a pre-recorded interview with Ayaz on their "Six-O'Clock" report-(under the "Ghost-busters" theme). Subsequently, a couple of hours after the event ended on the Saturday morning, Ayaz was again pre-recorded by Leicester Sound News, which was played back on a few Sunday morning news bulletins-(24 April).

The following Monday 25th April, on the BBC Radio Leicester-104.9FM breakfast show, a pre-recorded feature was played back after being arranged by a freelance reporter for the station, which involved him seeing the participants being locked up into the dungeon and when released, 12 hours later!

Ayaz Sheikh and fellow student/participant, Martyn Atkins, at Tutbury Castle Grounds, prior to being locked up for the event.

The Dungeon from outside, prior to being locked up!

Barry Chatwin & Ann Brighty, inside the dungeon, after a couple of hours of being locked in.

Ann Brighty in her sleeping bag, about 11.00pm

Barry Chatwin, trying to 'frighten' Ayaz, about 11.50pm

8.15am-Saturday 23rd April, 15 minutes after being finally let out from the dungeon, prior to breakfast, picture of morning of 'freedom'!

We resurrected this event in the form of:
I'm a Scared Student ... Get Me Out of Here ... 'Cause It's Haunted!