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An initiative to record the history of Bury Park in an innovative audio project has traced a young girl said to have haunted Allders Opticians, then situated in Dunstable Road.

According to former staff, the apparition was a happy giggly little girl aged between two and four who sat on a shelf, dressed in Victorian attire.

And the sleuth who uncovered her possible origins is local historian Jackie Gunn, whose mum grew up in Bury Park.

Jackie Gunn's mother lived on Dunstable Road and her mum used to send her next door with a jug to collect milk from Mr Cartwright' s dairy

She says: “I was asked to look into it by Fin Kennedy, who’s producing an audio project called the Museum of Stories – people’s recollections of the area.

"He wanted me to find out more about the history of 88 Dunstable Road, which had been converted into Allders Opticians around 1935. And my research revealed some uncanny connections to the property.”

Jackie discovered that a little girl called Florence Barford, who was born in July 1900, had lived at the address which was then considered a substantial superior residence.

She continues: "She was nicknamed Flossie, attended Moorlands School for Girls and was in the choir.

Local historian Jackie Gunn whose research has uncovered that the apparition seen by former Allders' staff could have been a young girl called Flossie

"She was very happy until her parents Horace and Margaret moved to Studley Road and her health declined.

"As I looked into her life and sad death – she was diagnosed with disseminated sclerosis and cerebral oedema (multiple sclerosis) when she was 15 – some very strong resemblance to the ghost or apparition sighted by some of Allders’ employees fell into place.

"She died in 1935, the year Mr Allder took over the premises and converted the house into an opticians’ shop.

"I believe her spirit remained at 88 Dunstable Road, where she was happiest.”

Jackie adds: “Flossie was the only female child living at 88 Dunstable Road between the years 1898 to 1930 who matched the profile I was seeking. Other children had lived at the address but were older or male..

“You must remember this is theoretical but my work is based on facts relating to census, electoral register and newspaper articles.

"Sadly I could not find one photograph for the Barford family, even though they were well-respected business people in the hat trade.”

Luton's Museum of Stories tracks down tragic ghost girl who haunts opticians