To still be unnerved by tv programmes from childhood? (Light hearted)

[Ujjayi]

For years I have had a vague recollection of a chilling ghost story about a young girl transported back to Victorian times when she looks in a mirror. I have just remembered it was called "Come Back Lucy" & searched online for details... And I am freaked out all over again, despite being 43!

I love a good ghost story but I can't believe that was considered ok for me to watch. I must have only been 7 or 8 when it was shown.

Does anyone else recall it?

Also scared witless of what I think was The Singing Ringing Tree - the weird dwarf making thorn hedges spring up everywhere.

I found it!! words and pictures

Sapphire and Steel still has me convinced that "Pack up your Troubles" and "It's a long way to Tipperary" are just automatically as creepy as hell. Either song gives me the willies.

The Owl Service is based on Welsh mythology. It's a great pre-teen read as it's thick with imagery and peer pressure.

I went to fairly strict catholic school and we actually had one copy
of Go Ask Alice in the library, basically the reminiscences of a girl who tripped acid and other lovely stuff as a teenager. Very graphic portrayals of the experiences, pros and cons of drugs. It wasn't lent out, and we were embarrassed to be caught reading it

Why our school had it I don't know, because you were expelled if you even so much as backchatted a teacher, let alone were caught smoking.

The Tripods gets my vote.

SKY!

Does anyone remember that? The boy with the blue eyes and no pupils.

God the image of him being chased and buried with the leaves and tree roots in the dark haunts me to this day!

And the singing bloody ringing tree. It was shown to me when i was about 2 and i swear it's what caused my terror of bears which lasted till i was about 12.

Tripods was bloody terrifying...I remember a scene about people blinded by the aliens breaking into a shop & trying to rip open boxes of washing powder to find food as they couldn't see....aaaaarrgh

I also remember Maelstrom which was an adult Sunday night drama (that I persuaded my parents would be ok for me to watch) Holy shit, it had scary china dolls and a horrible fire. That gave me nightmares for weeks.

So glad others loved the Children of Green Knowe. I loved that one. And the Amazing Mr Blunden. Both convinced me that ghosts were just sad, not scary.

Although if I ran into 'Pipes' from that sodding Ghostwatch prog, I would crap myself. Along with the TV version of the Woman in Black which was shown one. Christmas Eve and gave me awful nightmares....

Loads of these scared me too. Marianne Dreams. The Boy from Space. The Dark Tower. The public information ones, especially that weird cartoon cat one about strangers!

I think the one that stayed with me most was Watcher in the Woods. I was literally petrified and I still think it's quite scary as an adult though perhaps I wouldn't if was for the first time.

Some brilliantly scary shows mentioned on here

Had completely forgotten about Misty & Jinty magazines. They were great. I don't have daughters - is there a modern day equivalent? There should be!

The Clifton House Mystery was excessively scary for a children's programme... this family move to Bristol and they find an assortment of odd items in their new house - a soldier's helmet, which has a ghostly face appear in it, an oil painting of the Bristol Riots that has has the sounds of the battlefield - men and horses screaming, and similar horrific noises - a musical box which plays a really creepy tune (that makes the ghosts appear). The children's beds move up into the air. They realise that the outside of the house doesn't agree with the size of the interior and end up finding a secret room with four poster bed which is still occupied within.

I'm coming out in goosepimples just remembering it. That tinkly tune...

Moonhare, I came on to post about a one off ( I think ) kids' show called The Bells of Astercote which was about a couple of kids who went back in time to a plague village. I remember crosses painted on doors and carts full of pox ridden bodies - just the thing for young children's tea time viewing !

Yes I am still disturbed by it - I am 42!

Go Ask Alice is a very sad book I have a copy and think ds should read it when he is older

TV version of Woman in Black is the scariest thing I have ever seen, nothing graphic it is all suspense and a few fleeting appearances I am not surprised it was only shown once as it traumatised so many people

I have the box of delights on DVD. it's a Christmas staple. And it's 30 years old this year.

Come Back Lucy was one of the best things about my childhood! I loved it and never found it scary at all, I found it online recently and it's still brilliant and very tame (IMHO)

I have watched it more than once and spent years hunting for the book (borrowed it constantly from the library as a kid) and when I got a copy at a reasonable price I re-lived it again and again.

I even named youngest DD Lucy! I wanted Alice but XH didn't.

I have the box of delights on DVD. it's a Christmas staple. And it's 30 years old this year.

Same here, it's delightfully weird. I remember being freaked out by the Waterfall Boy and the weird human rat thing.

these picture are from the BBC lets terrorise children version of Pinocchio. Anyone else remember it?

FreudiansSlipper The BBC certainly had a penchant for weird humanoid animals for a while. I remember not being terribly keen on Maugrim in the BBC Chronicles of Narnia.

i still have flashbacks about moondial!

i have just googled and it was only on for 6 six episodes in 1988. but it made such an impact.

if you want to frighten yourself silly (again) have a look at the location it was filmed and the actual moondial/sundial www.tripadvisor.co.uk/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g190791-i65036212-Grantham_Lincolnshire_England.html#65036212

Moonhare - oh I am sure I remember that plague one, too! Wasn't there something about a chalice at the end, too?

And oh yes, Maelstrom! I must have been about 9 and it scared the pants off me.

Ooh I remember the bit about the chalice! Wasn't the storyline that if the chalice was removed then the plague would return to the present day village?

I used to get a bit freaked out by some of the bits on Knightmare although always wanted to go on it.

Salopian - yes! Look, just found this - it was a book first apparently:

charlotteslibrary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/astercote-by-penelope-lively-for.html

Chocky gave me nightmares - the serial about the boy who heard the voice of an alien in his head, and at night its face would appear on his wall.

Aside from that, Misty comics scared me more than any TV shows!

I've just googled and it was first transmitted on 23 December 1980 !
34 bloody years ago! Also who thought that would be an appropriate Christmassy film for kids

Blimey, if I saw it then, I was only just 7. No wonder I was scared!