The mysterious phenomenon of "visitor encounters" has puzzled researchers and witnesses alike for decades. These strange occurrences often share a peculiar characteristic - the apparent ability of these entities to induce trance-like states in humans. In January 1961, a bus route in Liverpool became the setting for one such inexplicable event when hooded figures surrounded a diverted bus and somehow rendered passengers immobile and entranced.

Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere, including a 2002 case in Puerto Rico where a mother witnessed her daughter in a trance-like state while a winged, gargoyle-like entity observed them through their window. The phenomenon frequently involves victims who temporarily lose awareness or memory of events, only to have recollections return later. Reports often include mechanical failures, animal disturbances, and sometimes governmental interest following these encounters.

Key Takeaways

Encounter reports frequently describe entities that can induce trance-like states or temporary memory loss in humans.
Mechanical malfunctions and unusual animal behavior commonly coincide with these mysterious incidents.
These phenomena share consistent patterns across different decades and geographic locations despite varying entity descriptions.

The Liverpool Bus Incident

Unusual Route Alteration

In January 1961, Doug, a 22-year-old bus driver, was assigned to the 79 route in Liverpool, Merseyside due to staff shortages from illness. While driving along High Street with a full complement of passengers, he encountered a gray metal sign marked "Diversion" with an arrow directing toward Prince Alfred Road. Following protocol, Doug turned right past the Thatched House Pub and informed passengers they would be taking Foley Lane to Church Road. Many passengers who had been preparing to disembark at their usual stops reluctantly sat back down. This unexpected detour would prove to be far more significant than anyone could have anticipated.

Vehicle Breakdown and Strange Visitors

As the bus passed Hunter's Lane, the engine suddenly sputtered and stopped completely. Doug noticed something peculiar—the road was entirely empty both ahead and behind them. When he attempted to restart the engine, it failed to respond at all. In this moment of mechanical difficulty, something truly extraordinary occurred. Nine figures wearing black hooded robes appeared seemingly from nowhere and began to encircle the stationary vehicle. The passengers watched in disbelief as these mysterious entities surrounded their bus.

The Cloaked Figure's Influence

Without anyone opening the door or windows, one of the hooded figures somehow materialized inside the bus. This figure's face was concealed by a black mask with eye holes. In a commanding voice, the intruder announced to everyone: "Don't attempt to leave. You are all under my power. You cannot leave. You will not even be able to get up out of your seat." The hooded individual then began moving through the bus, repeating phrases like "Sleep, sleepy, go to sleep." As the figure moved to the upper deck, passengers throughout the vehicle appeared to fall into a trance-like state.

Conductor's Unusual Reaction

Doug observed his colleague Cyril, the bus conductor responsible for collecting fares, respond to the situation in a most unusual manner. Without resistance or alarm, Cyril simply closed his eyes and sat down in the only unoccupied seat on the lower deck. This behavior was completely out of character for the usually alert and professional conductor. Like the passengers, Cyril seemed to immediately succumb to the mysterious influence of the hooded figures, further adding to the bizarreness of the situation.

Kathy's Daring Escape

A 16-year-old passenger named Kathy had hidden beneath a seat on the top deck. She overheard the hooded figure instructing passengers to sleep as he ascended the stairs. When the figure moved toward the front seats, Kathy seized her opportunity. She raced down the stairs, noticing all passengers with closed eyes in apparent trances. Managing to slide through the partially opened door, she fled up Hunter's Lane at full speed. Looking back, she saw two hooded figures in pursuit.

Police Intervention

Upon reaching Church Road North, the exhausted Kathy spotted a police officer near the Coffee House Pub. Though too breathless to scream or explain clearly, her panicked state conveyed the urgency of the situation. The officer instructed her to remain where she was while he investigated. Upon reaching the bus minutes later, the officer found no hooded figures. Instead, he discovered the driver and all passengers sitting with blank stares and wide-open eyes, seemingly unresponsive to his questions. After several minutes, they collectively emerged from their trance-like state.

Recovery and Aftermath

When questioned by the officer, Doug explained about the diversion sign that had directed him onto the alternate route. The officer investigated High Street but found no such sign. When Doug tried the engine again, it started without any issues. A second officer arrived, and both remained skeptical despite acknowledging the strangeness of the incident. According to Tom Slemen's "Haunted Liverpool Vol. 32," the passengers and crew initially couldn't recall the hooded figures for about ten minutes, then suddenly their memories returned "as if someone had flipped a switch." This case bears similarities to other incidents where victims report being temporarily "shut off" or placed in trance-like states during unusual encounters.

Tom Slemen's Haunted Liverpool Account

In 1961, a peculiar incident occurred in Liverpool involving a bus on the 79 route. A 22-year-old driver named Doug was filling in due to staff illness when he noticed a diversion sign directing him to Prince Alfred Road. After turning the bus, the engine suddenly stopped working without explanation.

What happened next defied rational explanation. Nine hooded figures dressed in black robes surrounded the vehicle. One of these figures somehow entered the bus without Doug opening the door. The mysterious intruder, face hidden behind a black mask with eyeholes, announced to the passengers: "Don't attempt to leave. You are all under my power."

The bus conductor, Cyril, immediately fell under this strange influence, closing his eyes and taking a vacant seat. The hooded figure walked through the bus repeating "Sleep, sleepy, go to sleep," causing passengers to enter a trance-like state.

A 16-year-old girl named Kathy managed to hide and escape, fleeing to find a police officer. When the officer arrived at the bus, he found all occupants sitting with blank stares, apparently in a trance. They eventually regained awareness but initially couldn't recall what had happened.

The police found no diversion sign when they checked the area, and mysteriously, the bus engine started without issue when tried again. This strange case was documented by Tom Slemen in Volume 32 of his "Haunted Liverpool" series.

In 2002, a similar unexplained incident occurred in Puerto Rico. Sophia Navarre (a pseudonym) witnessed her young daughter in a trance-like state, staring out their kitchen window at a strange creature. The entity had these distinctive features:

Fiery red eyes
Protruding chin with large fangs
Humanoid and muscular body
Large bat-like wings
Gargoyle-like appearance

The creature observed them for several minutes before flying away, at which point Sophia's daughter snapped out of her trance. The next day, government officials allegedly visited Sophia, warning her to remain silent.

These incidents highlight a recurring pattern in unexplained encounters: the ability of these entities to induce trance-like states in humans and animals, effectively "turning off" consciousness temporarily. Some witnesses even report time manipulation during these encounters.

The La Parguera Incident of 2002

Unexpected Awakening

In the early morning hours of 2002 in La Parguera, Puerto Rico, a woman known by the pseudonym Sophia Navarre was roused from her sleep at approximately 4:30 AM. The farm animals belonging to her neighbors had begun their usual commotion, a disturbance she had grown accustomed to over time. Typically, she found that turning on her kitchen light would somehow calm the animals down. Already somewhat awake, Sophia decided to begin her day by heading to the kitchen to prepare coffee.

The Child's Trance-like State

Upon entering the kitchen and switching on the light, Sophia was startled to discover her young daughter standing motionless at the window. The child appeared to be in a complete trance, staring fixedly outside without blinking or responding. When Sophia inquired what had caught her attention, her daughter remained silent, continuing to gaze outward with an unsettling stillness. The child's unresponsiveness created an eerie atmosphere within the otherwise ordinary kitchen setting.

The Gargoyle-Like Entity

Concerned by her daughter's behavior, Sophia approached the window to investigate what had captivated the child's attention. Outside, perched on a nearby rock, was a bizarre creature observing their home. Upon realizing it had been spotted, the entity descended from its position and moved toward their window while the daughter remained in her trance-like state.

Sophia described the creature as having:

Large, fiery red eyes
A protruding chin
Two prominent fangs extending from its mouth
A humanoid, muscular body
Large bat-like wings
An overall appearance reminiscent of a gargoyle

The entity maintained its position directly in front of their window for several minutes, seemingly studying them. It then tilted its head backward before launching itself skyward, disappearing into the night. Shortly after the creature's departure, Sophia's daughter suddenly emerged from her trance-like state as if someone had flipped a switch.

Aftermath and Mysterious Intervention

The following morning brought disturbing discoveries as Sophia learned that several of her neighbors' farm animals had been found slaughtered. The situation became even more concerning when, the very next day, individuals claiming to be government officials visited her home. These representatives instructed Sophia to maintain silence about the incident and made the unsettling declaration that she was "the property of the government now."

Puerto Rican researcher and author Wanda Velez documented this encounter in her book "Mundo Omni." While the account doesn't clarify whether Sophia's daughter retained any memory of the incident, it suggests that this case shares similarities with other reports where witnesses experience temporary states of suspended consciousness or awareness during anomalous encounters.

Visitor Interactions Analysis

Suspension of Human and Animal Awareness

Strange encounters often include reports of entities capable of inducing trance-like states in humans and animals. In a notable 1961 incident in Liverpool, passengers on a diverted bus route encountered hooded figures who appeared to possess the ability to control human consciousness. One figure announced to the passengers, "You are all under my power. You cannot leave," before inducing a sleep-like state among everyone aboard. When a police officer arrived minutes later, he found passengers sitting with blank stares, temporarily unable to recall what had happened.

Similar control over awareness appears in other cases. In Puerto Rico (2002), a mother witnessed her young daughter in an unresponsive, trance-like state while observing a winged humanoid creature outside their window. The daughter remained frozen and unblinking until the entity departed, at which point she suddenly regained normal consciousness.

These incidents suggest visitors possess technology or abilities that can temporarily:

Suspend normal consciousness
Block memory formation
Control physical movement
Affect both humans and animals simultaneously

Temporal Manipulation Phenomena

Visitors appear capable of manipulating time in various ways during encounters. The Liverpool bus incident featured several temporal anomalies:

Time Anomaly Description Engine failure Bus engine stopped with no mechanical cause Missing diversion sign Sign disappeared when police investigated Memory gaps 10-minute collective amnesia followed by sudden recall Instant repair Engine worked perfectly after the encounter

Time manipulation extends beyond mechanical effects. Witnesses report experiences where visitors move backward and forward through time at will. In some cases, they appear to "reset" timeframes to suit their purposes, creating discontinuities in witness experiences.

Comprehensive Perception Studies

The phenomenon shares interesting parallels with near-death experiences, particularly regarding perception shifts. NDEs frequently include life reviews where individuals experience their entire existence from multiple perspectives simultaneously. This mirrors reports from encounter cases where witnesses describe experiencing enhanced or altered perception.

In both encounter cases and NDEs, witnesses report:

Perception beyond normal senses
Simultaneous multiple viewpoints
Complete awareness of surroundings despite being "turned off"
Memory that returns in waves rather than continuously

The Liverpool bus passengers experienced this when their memories returned "as if someone had flipped a switch," suggesting a controlled release of suppressed awareness rather than typical memory recovery.

Final Thoughts on Visitor Phenomena

Strange encounters across different time periods suggest visitors possess the ability to manipulate human consciousness. In 1961 Liverpool, a bus driver named Doug encountered hooded figures who seemingly paralyzed an entire busload of passengers, placing them in a trance-like state. One young passenger managed to escape and alert authorities, but when police arrived, they found passengers with blank stares who initially had no recollection of the event.

The phenomenon extends beyond the UK. In Puerto Rico in 2002, a mother discovered her daughter in a trance-like state while a gargoyle-like creature observed them through a window. After the creature flew away, the daughter suddenly regained awareness, similar to how the bus passengers eventually "switched back on."

These cases share striking similarities:

Characteristic Liverpool Bus Incident Puerto Rico Encounter Trance State All passengers frozen Daughter unresponsive Memory Effects Temporary amnesia Unclear recollection Outside Control "You are all under my power" Creature's presence induced trance Aftermath Government skepticism Government intimidation

The ability of these entities to "turn off" human consciousness resembles shutting down electronic devices. They appear capable of manipulating time and perception, sometimes even resetting events to their preference. This consciousness control aspect of visitor phenomena deserves greater attention in research, as it consistently appears across numerous documented cases.

What makes these encounters particularly unsettling is how easily these visitors seem to bypass our normal defense mechanisms. Like computers being remotely accessed, humans in these scenarios lose autonomy without resistance, suggesting these entities possess technological or psychic capabilities far beyond our understanding.

Liverpool's Chilling Wavertree Bus Incident: Unexplained Paranormal Encounter of 1961