Friday, August 19, 2016

The Hollinwell Incident For Freaky Friday...!

Sometimes there are cases of what appears to be mass hysteria that just can't be explained.

In this case, taken from the pages of Listverse, there was an incident involving an entire marching band. How's that for creepy?

The Hollinwell Incident



Photo via the Birmingham Mail

On July 13, 1986, students gathered on the Hollinwell Showground in England’s Kirkby-in-Ashfield for a marching band competition. Witnesses reported that suddenly, hundreds of students fell silent, and nearly 300 of them collapsed. One victim was a three-month-old baby.

The students would describe the same symptoms—burning eyes and throat, nausea, headaches, and stomach cramps. By the time it was over, 259 would be taken to the hospital, and the event was given an ominous name: All Fall Down.

Decades later, it is still unclear what caused the mass collapse of marching band performers. Some claim it was mass hysteria, while others point to the possibility that a pesticide sprayed on the field was responsible for the students’ collapse, but nothing has ever been confirmed.

All I can say is that whatever caused this incident was pretty serious. How could it be faked when one of the victims was an infant? Strange to say the least!

Coffee out on the patio this morning, but be ready to move inside if the rain comes back.

5 comments:

linda m said...

That really is weird. I like the pesticide theory because it is the most plausible. If it was sprayed heavily on the field shortly before the bands arrived it could have been stirred up and become airborne, thus causing everyone to become ill. Great mystery for today. Have a great weekend.

HermitJim said...

Hey Linda...
I sort of lean toward the pesticide theory as well. I can't imagine what else it could be.
Thanks for stopping by today!

JO said...

I would think about the pesticide also. I don't think I would ever attend another thing on that field.

You sure are getting the rain out your way.

Dizzy-Dick said...

Pesticides or mass hysteria, one or the other or maybe both.

HermitJim said...

Hey Jo...
Don't imagine it would be very popular after that!
Thanks for dropping by today!


Hey Dizzy...
I'll go along with that. Probably a little of both.
Thanks for coming by today!