Taken from a local historical forum;



This story happened about 1960 in Bishop Auckland, and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, its very true.


John Bradford, a Durham University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking to Bishop Auckland on a very dark night and in the midst of a seriously heavy storm.

It was getting late and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped. John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door. Only to realise there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on???

The car started moving. John looked at the road ahead and saw a sharp bend approaching.
Scared stiff, he started to pray, begging for his life.
Then, just before the car hit the bend, a hand appeared through the window and turned the wheel.

John, paralysed with terror, watched as the hand repeatedly came through the window, but never touched or harmed him. Shortly thereafter John saw the lights of The Sportsman pub appear down the road,

So, gathering strength, he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.
A silence enveloped the pub bar when everybody realised he was crying uncontrolably and....wasn't drunk.

Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the stormy night.
They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath.
Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other..

Look Bobby...

There's the divvy that got in the car while we were pushing it !!!

Brilliant!!