The Screams in the Dark
On winter nights in British cities, people wake to a blood-curdling scream outside, and call the police thinking someone is in danger.
What was reported
Every winter, especially in January and February, residents of London and other British towns report terrible screams in the night, like a woman shrieking. Police and emergency services receive calls from people convinced someone is being attacked.
Folklore once blamed such sounds on spirits, but the source is much closer to home.
Explanations offered
The scream belongs to the red fox. During the winter breeding season, foxes, especially vixens, make loud screaming calls to attract mates and warn rivals. Cities have large fox populations, so the sound is common, and when people see the fox, the mystery is solved.
- When
- Heard every winter
- Where
- London and across Britain
- Witnesses
- City residents
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.