The Invisible Breather Cotgrave 1975

Witness Account: I had been asked several times over the course of a fortnight, to visit the Owthorpe Crossroad's area and specifically the last field on the right at the end of the lane there at 12 midnight. Finally, i decided to go there, being the inquisitive character i am. I 'phoned Pete, a Nottingham fellow investigator, to see if he would join me on the little expedition. Unfortunately there was no reply to my call, but i was now determined to go come hell or high water.

The weather conditions were a light wind, intermittent bright Moonlight, with numerous small clouds floating slowly towards the East. I arrived there at 11:p.m. A small herd of approximately a dozen horses plus, were gathered at the then metal gated entrance to their large field, curious heads overhanging the top of the gate. After around 20 minutes of forehead and muzzle stroking, we were the best of friends. All was peaceful and quiet. A tall, thick hedge separated their field and the one next to it which i was about to enter. There was no gated entrance to this field then, just an open wide gap. Entering the field, i walked by the side of the wide tall hedge which separated it from the country lane on its left and towards the Crossroads and the Fosse Way, which again was separated from the large field by another wide, tall hedge. I gave myself two hours and then away.

The time passed slowly. Even in the best of Moonlight, i could hardly see the opposite end of the field i stood in. Several cigarettes later and the time was approaching 12:30 a.m. Not much longer to hang about then. It was then i heard what i thought was a faint snuffling sound coming from the lane behind me. "Just a hedgehog, or stoat whatever, searching for its insect supper in the hedge bottom" i concluded satisfactorily to myself. However, the sound continued to slowly increase in volume as 'whatever' slowly approached down the lane-side of the hedge behind me. It wasn't till a dozen or so long seconds later, that i finally recognised the noise. It didn't sound like snuffling now, but increasingly loud breathing as it slowly approached. It was the identical deep, heavy breathing i had heard at the Colwick Heights Invisible Breather incident. My senses were now fully alert. As it passed me by on the other side of the lane's hedge, the deep, heavy noisy breathing sound was once more overwhelming, as it had been as it stood at the back of the motor van on the Heights. But this time, there was no van to shelter in and no other investigators on site.

My reflexes and mind were in a turmoil of whether to stay or flee. But i was inwardly angry at all the Paranormal activity my family and myself had witnessed and suffered with since 1968, with no answers ever being given as to why. I determinedly decided to stay and hold my ground, but not without forming a quick escape plan if whatever seemed aggressive as it came slowly towards me. If things didn't look too well, i would race across the field and take the long road home down the ancient narrow track at its far end. I based my perhaps escape plan on the I.B. being a slow walker - thankfully.

I stood quietly, my cigarette cupped in my hand to show no light, as i heard the I.B. slowly making its way down the narrow lane towards the field's open entrance, the breathing noise getting less loud. "Come on, it's either revelation time or not", i thought desperately to myself, as the Moonlight dimmed and brightened at times as the small clouds passed overhead. It was when the breathing noise was half as loud as it had been when passing by, that i heard the herd of horses playing up. They began neighing, snorting and stamping the ground heavily with their hooves. After a dozen long seconds or so, i heard them turn as one and race pell-mell into the distance across their field, snorting and neighing loudly, their hooves thudding loudly as they went. My resolve to stay vanished in that instant. Then the word 'Predator' sprang to mind because of the horses sudden panicky actions. (Yes, 'Predator'. But this was years before the film of that name was made). I decided to flee.

Running down the side of the hedge on tiptoe as fast as i dared, to make as least sound as possible, i shivered as i caught up with the slow traveling I.B. and hearing that loud, deep heavy breathing so close again. I passed it, heading towards the field's entrance, hoping against all hope that i didn't hear the breathing sound begin to keep up with me on the other side of the hedge. That was a terrifying thought. The I.B. couldn't have been more than 20 feet away from the field's open entrance when i reached it. I dashed out and raced panic stricken up the lane towards Cotgrave, away from the Owthorpe Crossroads. About a hundred yards up the lane, the Moonlight suddenly brightened again. I stopped in my tracks, spun round and stared down the lane in the direction of the field. Again, nothing was visible. It wasn't long before i reached home safe and sound.

Sometime later, Pete told me he and another person had investigated the area around the Care-home once. (The Care-home where the five independent witnesses have just recently informed Adam of their Bigfoot sighting across from it. It stands at the opposite end of the lane to the fields where i and the horses had been situated) Pete and company had witnessed close UFO activity in the wooded area behind the Care-home. And there, it all ends.

Reported by B.Ratcliffe