‘Mystery midnight organist’

plays eerie tunes inside

Cops were called to St Philip and St James Church in Ilfracombe

when locals heard tunes coming from the chapel – even though it

was closed and there were no lights on inside.

Shopkeeper David Joe Williams raised the alarm when he heard

sounds as he walked past the church.

Together with police he tried opening the church door but it was

locked, no lights were on and there was nobody around.

The vicar confirmed there was no auto function on the organ.

However, they all agreed somebody or something had to be playing

the organ.

“As I was walking down the road I hear the church organ playing,

no lights on in the church and all the doors were locked,”

“As I am sitting listening to the music the police came along.

They tried getting in but couldn’t. We phoned the church vicar

and asked if the organ has an auto-play function.

“He said it did not and that someone had to be actually playing it.”

After calling the vicar, Reverend Michael Rogers, David Joe

and the police officers waited outside for him to bring the keys.

Inside the mystery midnight organist continued to play.

“As we waited we debated how you would arrest a ghost,” said

David Joe. “If it wasn’t Casper the Friendly Ghost how would

you taser him and if you locked him in a cell, he would walk out.

“When the vicar came he opened the door. As it opened we hear

a call saying ‘it’s me vicar’. Turns out the church organist was

having a late night practice session and wasn’t able to turn

the lights on.”

Unknown to the vicar, organist Ian Lovegrove had been given

a spare key to practice for an upcoming church event.

The light switches for the church are in the vestry but the key

Ian had did not give him access to the switches,

so he played in the dark.

"The funny part was that when the police were knocking on the door and

trying to see in with flashlights Ian assumed it was a group of local youths

playing around and ignored it," said Rev Rogers.

"It was just highly amusing and I think the police and Ian were just as amused as I was."

Devon Live has contacted the police for an account from the officer who investigated.

(The Sun,UK)