The sleepy village of Shiptonthorpe in East Yorkshire has found itself at the centre of a disturbing mystery as ‘vile’ anonymous letters keep arriving through letterboxes
A ‘lovely village with zero crime’ in East Yorkshire has been left shaken by disturbing poison pen letters.
The ‘vile’ notes written by an anonymous person have been arriving in the letterboxes of residents in Shiptonthorpe – a village of 500 people – over the past two years, and have continued despite complaints to the police. The sinister scribbles have been described as ‘vulgar’ as well as ‘personal, obscene and targeted’.
Humberside Police has opened an investigation into the bizarre mystery after a number of parish councillors were terrorised, as well as other local residents. One letter read that it hoped the recipient would get cancer, while another made reference to the reader harrowingly being ‘pushed under a bus’.
Resident Sophie, not her real name, said she first received a letter in December 2022 and went on to report it to the police. She had been trying to become a ward councillor at the time and was left “astonished” when she opened it. She told the BBC: “It was accusing me of what you could call being a loose woman.”
“It said the only way I would ever get anywhere within politics would be if I was to perform unspeakable things to men,” she continued. The malicious author then wrote that Sophie should be “turned out on the Beverley Westwood pasture with the rest of the cows.” Humberside Police told the BBC it had been notified about the letter.
“Inquiries were carried out at the time, including reviewing CCTV,” a spokesperson for the force said. “However, the content of the alleged letter was unavailable and subsequently no further investigative opportunities were able to be obtained.” Police said they had given Sophie safety advice and were told she had been sent three more letters.
Sophie’s partner Sam opened letters that claimed to be from a friend which urged him “to be honest” with himself. One letter seen by the BBC warned Sam about Sophie’s private life and called on him to stop her from “roaming.” The letter was signed: “From a caring dear friend.”
He claimed the photos made him fear for both himself and his partner. Humberside Police added they had been notified about letters being sent to a concerned man. According to Mail Online, more than 25 letters have been sent to at least 10 people.
One letter, posted on a local Facebook group, read: “You are an ugly old fat cow who nobody likes most find you revolting. You use up oxygen better used up by decent people. Kids are frightened when they see you. Hope cancer finds you very soon.”
Another note, also shared on the group, read: “Hoping and praying for rain lots of it. Climate change and Yorkshire weather will deliver lots of rain so your house can be flooded again and again. Most people in Shiptonthorpe are wanting rain and floods so you are washed away never to be seen again.”
Residents described the mystery as “out of control” and “scary” in the comments. Meanwhile, locals have claimed the letters have cast a shadow over the sleepy village and that some people have left because of the letters.
A man, who gave his name as Jason, said: “People come here for a quiet, tranquil, community-spirited life and that’s being damaged badly by one or two devilish people. In my opinion, I believe this constitutes a hate crime.”
Chairman Victor Lambert, 75, has received nine “unpleasant and disgusting” letters over the past 10 months, including the wish that he gets cancer and is “run over by a bus on the A1079”. He told the Mail: “It’s horrible and unpleasant but it has mainly been directed at councillors.”
Mr Lambert, who said he has gone to the police three times but has been told there is “very little they can do”, added: “This is a lovely village with zero crime, but it takes only one or two bad apples to ruin a barrel. The letters are clearly from a very disturbed person.”
Leo Hammond, the local councillor and deputy PCC, told the publication he has been sent eight letters. He said: “Mine are relatively mild but they have quite an obsession with my sexuality. They keep suggesting I’m a closet homosexual which is not the case. I’m pretty thick-skinned but when it comes to attacking parish councillors it’s really sad.”
The ordeal is reminiscent of a series of scandalous notes that were sent to residents in Littlehampton, in Sussex, in 1920. The incident was the inspiration for the 2023 British movie ‘Wicked Little Letters’ starring Olivia Colman.
