Terrible rumours of a grim creature lurking in the dark spaces beneath the roof of an old school? It sounds like the plot of a Harry Potter book (probably – though this Londonista is hardly an expert in that particular genre).
However, replacing the gothic grandeur of Hogwarts with a slightly more down-to-earth secondary school, it would appear that there is a real-life bogeyman instilling terror in the hearts of pupils and teachers at Crofton School in Lewisham. The intruder’s demonic reputation has been strengthened by reports that he has been ‘described only as black’.
Nonetheless, the school has been admirably proactive in responding to this occult threat by calling in sniffer dogs and firefighters, presumably to allay fears that the intruder might be made of explosives (or other combustibles). They have also constructed extra fences in the school grounds, which is sure to help.
Unfortunately, as the mysterious figure continues to cause minor damage to tiling and set off security alarms, the school has had to be closed until the police (with assistance from a private security firm) can conduct a successful man-hunt.
Despite suggestions that the intruder has been setting up home in the loft-space for at least two weeks, a spokesman for Lewisham Council has indicated that the intruder is probably not particularly dangerous. Phew!
