In the 1980s, even Basildon Hospital, a newer building at the time, was not immune to strange events. Reports surfaced of an unused ward where lights would mysteriously turn on, despite the doors being chained and padlocked. Time and again, staff would search the area, but no one was ever found inside.

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Unexplained noises also plagued the hospital's staff. Nurses reported hearing loud coughing coming from a toilet, followed by the sound of running water. On investigation, the room was always empty, and the taps remained untouched.

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Perhaps the most chilling story involves a nurse who made a horrifying discovery in the toilets of the secure unit—a patient who had taken his own life. The nurse ran screaming for help, but when colleagues returned, the room was eerily empty.

 

Months later, an agency nurse, unfamiliar with the recent events, pointed to the same area, which was then full of beds, and told his new colleagues about the time he had found a patient who had committed suicide there years ago.

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