Ghostly voice of Echo editor William Stead 'captured'

William Stead - the Northumberland-born editor dubbed the greatest newspaperman of his age- met his end in the icy Atlantic ocean after the ill-fated Titanic struck an iceberg.

Stead, who was appointed editor of the Echo in 1871 aged just 22 took the paper from strength to strength even increasing its distribution nationwide. 

Former Echo editor William Stead. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) His legacy to the world has been immortalised since his death. He even has a monument in New York's Central Park and a Wetherspoons named after him in Darlington.

107 years after his death, a team of ghost investigators claim they captured an EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) of his voice on a look around on January 23, 2019.

Carol and Nigel Dennis aged 67 and Kris and Sheila Ryan aged 66 and 69.  (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) The team, who have investigated together for seven years,  is made up of two couples: Carol and Nigel Dennis aged 67 and Kris and Sheila Ryan aged 66 and 69. 

The four say they were taking a walk around the building and decided to pull out their equipment with the hopes of capturing some activity in the café area, nicknamed 'Stead's Café' by staff.

Upon reviewing their footage, they say they were "shocked" to hear a voice come through whom they believe is the famed William Stead.

Here's the full clip - what do you hear?

After calling out to Stead, whom they wrongfully understood to be the founder of The Northern Echo, they believe it says: "I was not the founder... John Hyslop Bell founded The Northern Echo".

The team assure sceptics that their clips are not doctored "because they don't need to be".

"Some of the things you hear, they are very difficult - you have to have an ear for it." said Kris.

"Everything was there, old films and newspapers - but there were still people working on one of the floors. We went in there early in the afternoon."

Inside the room, they said the energy was "bizarre" before they captured the voice.

The old Northern Echo office. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

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The enthusiastic team who played the clip with unbridled excitement, say it "shows intelligence". 

Kris said: "When I heard it, I thought that is unbelievable - I wondered, what the hell is that! We were gobsmacked. We were not expecting an answer.

What do you hear? Do you think the clip captures a voice from the other side? Let us know.