Lantern man

A Lantern Man is a type of ghostly light found in the folklore of the Fens in East Anglia, particularly around areas like Wicken Fen. Described as an atmospheric phenomenon, these eerie lights are said to be malevolent spirits that try to lure people to their deaths in the treacherous reed beds.

The tales, first gathered by folklorist L. F. Newman, tell of spirits drawn to the sound of whistling. To escape their attention, it is said that one must lie flat on the ground with their face pressed into the mud. The Lantern Man is generally seen as a regional variation of the will-o'-the-wisp, a type of supernatural light common in European folklore. In modern times, the sightings are often dismissed as the result of naturally occurring marsh gas igniting.

Local accounts add vivid detail to the legend. One fisherman told parapsychologist Peter Underwood that he had once dropped to the ground in fear after realizing a Lantern Man had been attracted by his whistling. Another man recalled encountering one of the lights while whistling for his dog on the fen. He sought refuge at a nearby friend's home, where the friend attempted to distract the spirit by hanging a horn on a long pole outside. By morning, the horn had been mysteriously burned.