Teeth grinding time.

With the onset of dark evenings, the lab ghost is active again. I have been staying there very late and have been so frustrated that if the swine wasn't already dead I'd strangle him.

Tonight, another renter-of-labs (he works on solar power installations. In Scotland!) left at around 7 pm and said, on his way out, 'Watch out for the ghost'. He doesn't know why I'm there so late, so often. There are only so many 'crank' jibes you can stand to hear so it's best just to leave them in ignorance.

The ghost is well known among the occupants of the building. In winter it can be dark at 3 pm so it's not only the late-stayers who get to meet him. Long-term residents have called him 'Fred' but he doesn't interact so his real name isn't known.

The history - 'Fred' has scared many over the years but he's not doing anything scary. Lone workers late at night hear footsteps and voices. 'Fred' likes to slam doors that have been left open. He seems a bit obsessive about closing doors to unused rooms - as anyone who lived before central heating would be. Sometimes he's seen but never clearly enough for a description. He never pops out and goes 'boo', he rarely moves anything and never throws anything, he ducks out of sight if spotted and generally appears to be shy. He has shown no sign of being dangerous at all.

The lab block is built on the site of an old watermill that goes back centuries. There are no records of deaths in the lab block and so far, I can't find anything at all on the watermill. Part of the old building still exists but most is now modern. 'Fred's' range extends beyond the old watermill part so it's possible he was a farm worker in the fields surrounding the mill, or died in a house or farm building that was once here. I don't know yet.

Everyone in this place is aware of 'Fred'. Everyone. He is not restricted to psychics and mediums. He can get close to a full apparition. The swine will not speak to me and disappears as soon as he sees a camera. I know he can speak and I know he's not alone because there are conversations. Get the recorder out and they shut up.

There is no reason to be scared of 'Fred'. He has never done anything threatening. His range extends outside too, I've seen him out there, but he will not let me photograph him. He is not a 'recording' because he doesn't repeat actions, he is aware of the living, and he can interact. He just won't.

Catching him on film is going to be difficult. He's very good at avoiding cameras.

This is possibly the most challenging one yet.