The Haunting of Shoreham-by-Sea…?

Did you know that Shoreham Beach is reputed to have its own ghost? I didn’t:

The burned man is a roaming spirit, said to inhabit a large stretch of Shoreham Beach, as well as areas around the town’s footbridge and high street. Sightings of the burned man date from the Second World War onwards. No known sightings predate the 1940s, suggesting the ghost may have been one of the many victims of the great European conflict. All reported observations bear remarkably similar details and occur after midnight but before 2.00am. Witnesses describe becoming aware of a figure behind them as they walk through the dimly-lit streets. Next witnesses become aware of a powerful stench, similar to burned meat, which rapidly becomes overwhelming. Finally, the burned man appears suddenly in front of the victims, flailing his arms wildly and screaming-out demented moans of agony.

Something of a toasty ghost, then…