Revenge of the Formby black dog....

In Lancashire folklore, Black Dog boggarts (ghosts) were found in many villages and hamlets and at Wigan, Preston, Clitheroe, Barnley on the Fylde Coast and at Levens hall in Cumbria for example.

Formby has its own ghostly Black Dog called Striker, distinguished by his large luminous eyes. His master was drowned off Formby Point it is said - and Black Dog never stops looking for him.

Have you seen him running up the shore between Formby and Ainsdale?

Three summers ago, i was walking through the sandhills and got into conversation with a group of day-trippers squatting in a hollow, picnicking on ham, chicken and cheese and knocking back white wine. They were from Preston and commented "How lucky you are to live here on the Coast".

"I have been researching the history of Lancashire and its ghosts and was shocked to read that, to ward off evil spirits, Preston priests used to bury dogs alive at the corner stone of their churches" I remarked and moved on., adding "We have our own Black Dog here you know. He appears when there is a full moon. Like tonight for example."

One of the guys murmured "What a nutter!"

I climbed a high sand hill, spotted our huge black Great Dane chasing a fox and some gulls feasting on refuse left by the ebbing tide and whistled him up. And hid. Nero came racing through the dunes answering the call and, hearing voices, leaped straight into the hollow where the day trippers were! Gleaming black, barking like mad, all 14 stones of him coming off a 9 foot stride and scattering sand all over the place.

I can still see those folks running frantically towards St. Josephs - not daring to look back.

I swear Nero laughed all the way home as dogs do - taking a cue from their owners.......

Story and photo by Barry Griffiths

Read the story of Formby's phantom black dog by clicking HERE