The Dalby Spook

In 1931 a poor farmer's daughter in the Isle of Man claimed to have made friends with a little animal who quickly learnt English and a smattering of other languages, and even sang songs.

'Gef the Talking Mongoose' lived with the family for a number of years, by turns a mischievous, helpful, and menacing presence.

Also known as The Dalby Spook, it possessed some (but not all) of the attributes of a poltergeist, and became a media sensation.

Tonight we meet this Fortean Mystery, revisited and reassessed by Chris Josiffe, a librarian at the University of London who has been working on archives of the psychic investigator Harry Price.

Price personally looked into the Dalby Spook matter, and neither confirmed it as genuine nor condemned it as a fraud.

Josiffe has supplemented his research with enquiries on the Isle of Man.

Tonight he tells the fascinating story.