This centre was closed only a few years ago when a purpose built home was completed, the building was almost a shell of the bustling activity that would have taken place here. There is no water or electricity anywhere in the location yet it is far from deserted, throughout the rooms were reminders of the people that once lived here from the occasional odd sock (don’t you always wonder where it’s hiding?) to birthday cards and pictures on the walls and doors.

SPI team members Tony Hart, Richard O'Connor and sister Helen O'Connor were the first from SPI to arrive at 7:15 where we were greeted by Leicestershire Paranormal Association (LPA).  While other guest of LPA’s arrived we were given a tour of the Nursing Home.  The building consists of two wings with three levels in each wing and a basement in the newer wing.  While on the walk around at the far end of the ground floor old wing a slipper was found when there was no slipper earlier in the day, the room was thought to contain some activity, while still in use staff would notice any residents brought into this room would deteriorate very quickly, even when they were relatively health before.

In the centre of the old wing there is a grand staircase taking you up to the other two floors.  It was commented that some of the rooms smelt, throughout we found varying degrees of this smell however on the middle floor we went to enter a room but were thrown back by the overwhelming stench.  After our walk around we returned to the Hub which was an old Dinning room next to the kitchen were we talk a few members of the public, some from the new nursing home, around the location.

I began the first vigil with LPA team member Craig, we began with a general talk, finding what people’s beliefs and experiences were and sharing some of our own past experiences from previous investigations. Many of the group grew cold and some reported feeling sick we moved to a new location but passed the room the stunk earlier, when this was opened this time the smell had gone. When we reached the other end of the middle floor old wing we found it to be even colder in here, the only noise we can here is the generator so we moved into the corridor.  Call out were negative however soon after the temperature drop was very noticeable to point that the cold was painful, this is a rare occurrence, temperature drops are expected as a night progresses and participants become tired but for there to be a large and sudden drop is interesting.  Unfortunately we did not have a thermometer yet as this was with the rest of the team who were on their way and could not measure the change.  As we made our way back to base we came across a another scent thought it was altogether more pleasant, on opening a door leading back to the main staircase we smelt what was later described as an Icopropyl or Ether family smell, this chemicals are often used for cleaning.  All members of the vigil group smelt the same thing but it was not reported by any other group.

The second vigil was on the top floor of the old wing.  We began in rooms one and two, little activity inside the room however some members of the group saw a light outside in the corridor.  SPI member Steve, who had now arrived along with Simon, Anita and Chris, went into the corridor and reported feeling a hand run down his face.  We moved to the other end of the old wing where members of the group described a smell of ‘deep heat’ gel.

Little other activity was reported during the night other than Simon picking up a boy of 7 or 9 and a women named Tracey from the Laundry in the basement of the newer wing.