Wem ghost predicts end of humanity

Shropshire's best-known ghost is predicting the end of civilization in 2012 - on her Facebook page.

Jane Churm, otherwise known as the ghost of Wem Town Hall, has made the gloomy prophecy from beyond the grave in messages posted on her page on the social networking site.

Internet pranksters are believed to be behind the Facebook page where Jane has posted a string of doom-laden predictions.

In one she said: "The end of days is nigh - you must all prepare for the coming apocalypse and the arrival of planet Nibiru the dark star in 2012 - heed my words."

In another she said: "The world will not end, civilization as we know it will. The future will be shaped by those few who are left."

The page has amassed more than 900 friends.

Hundreds of people worldwide have asked Jane for more details, but she remains tight-lipped.

Amateur photographer Tony O'Rahilly, who died in 2005, created international headlines and sparked the legend of the Wem Town Hall ghost after his photograph taken during a huge blaze at the building in 1995 appeared to show the fuzzy image of a young girl.

There was speculation that the girl was 14-year-old Jane Churm, who accidentally started the disastrous great fire of Wem in 1677 and was reputed to be haunting the town hall.

Last year eagle-eyed Shropshire Star reader Brian Lear, from Shrewsbury, apparently solved the mystery.

He discovered the girl in Mr O'Rahilly's photograph appeared to be the same as a girl standing in the street in a 1922 Wem High Street postcard. Wem folk enthusiastically embraced the story which put their town in the spotlight.

Experts in paranormal activity visited, and there was even a scroll and a plaque to mark where the ghost was spotted.

Mr O'Rahilly's photo was examined by experts from the National Museum of Photography, who concluded it was a fake.

But others were certain it was genuine.

By Tom Johannsen