For those of your that might think the “vampire hysteria” was over in the UK after things went quiet back in the 1970s [referring ofc to the Highgate Vampire incident] I beg to differ and redirect you to an urban legend from back in 2005 that was reported in “The Guardian” as follows;
“A vampire is on the loose in Birmingham. And an inept one at that, if reports are to be believed. Which they aren’t. Last month, this “vampire” went on a “rampage” in Glen Park Road, Ward End. The attacker reportedly bit a male pedestrian and then bit neighbors who came to the man’s aid. One woman had “chunks” bitten out of her hand, according to reports, which feature lots of one-word “quotes” and very little in the way of named sources.
No matter. The Birmingham Evening Mail has been flooded with calls from “terrified” families, community leaders and schools. Oliver Luft of the Birmingham news agency Newsteam reported: “As the sun dips below the rooftops of sleepy terraced streets, residents rush home, quickly gathering up playing children, because after night falls a vampire hungry for blood stalks. Reports of a Dracula-style attacker on the loose biting innocent people has spread terror throughout neighborhoods in Birmingham, causing many to fear the darkness of the night.”
Such reports themselves spread fear. Thus, a spokeswoman for City Road primary school in Ladywood said: “We have had many parents coming in concerned because they had heard somebody has been going around biting people.”
But police in Birmingham have not investigated this “case”. Nor have any hospitals in the city reported treating more than the usual number of hard-bitten Brummies. A police spokesman said: “To date we have not received any reports from people stating they have been bitten and this appears to be an urban myth which is being fuelled by rumors.”
He was generally described as a Somalian man in his mid-20s and as the news hit the national papers, more supposed incidents were reported in Ilford, Newham and Poplar.
As you can expect, the police did try to locate the elusive fiend, especially since worried parents were contacting the schools frantically and people were beginning to watch their step / back. As the medics were not treating anyone for suspicious-looking bites and the man appeared to have the ability to elude capture, the police had nothing to go on and the fever broke in a matter of months.
Thankfully no minister came forward to propose exorcisms and trips to the local cemetery – this time!
§۞§ Related: §۞§
† Superstitions
† Legends
† Vampire Accounts
