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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What to do? Screaming during the night?

26 replies

Meadows4 · 17/07/2023 14:58

Hi- this will sound really weird but really hoping someone can help!

I’m often awake at in the early hours of the morning because I can’t sleep or because I sit on TikTok for too long haha. But I’ve noticed for a few months that I sometimes hear screaming. At first I thought it was cats fighting because from a distance they sound scarily like normal screams, and sometimes it is cats because then I hear them actually meowing etc during the fights but other times I’ve definitely heard human screams and shrieks. But it sounds so faint that I have absolutely no idea which direction it’s coming from. So faint that if I had my window closed and I was typing on my phone I would miss it. But when I stop and listen I can hear it. It’s not every night but it happens regularly. The police have checked it out but with hundreds of houses and absolutely no idea where it’s coming from or what direction they can’t do anything and in fairness it’s not constant screaming so it could easily be missed. I still live with my parents and I’ve woke them up before to hear it but it’s on and off so you have to sit and listen for it and they couldn’t hear anything so just went back to bed. I started to think I was just going crazy and it was all just cats fighting but it sounds so human sometimes, but we also live quite close to a motorway so my parents said maybe it’s cars screeching im hearing. then last night there was screaming again but it was so faint, it honestly sounded miles and miles away but I know I heard it. I had my window open and I could only hear it when I sat and listened for it because it was so faint but I know I heard it. Then I heard a voice which seemed closer than the screams and 2 huge thuds, not like gunshot type thuds it was more solid than that, but 2 big loud thud and then a car sped up our street and did a turn and went back down. I wanted to look out the window but I didn’t want to draw attention so I decided to wake my parents and call the police. It’s weird though because the screaming was so faint and far away but the cat definitely was close by and went up the street but then it drove back down and went away. it was not a car that’s usually in the street (I could tell by the sound of it, it sounded like something was loose and falling apart because it was making a sound). The screaming stopped after this. There was nobody or nothing lying about either as we checked. It’s not the police’s fault but they can’t do much because the screaming doesn’t happen constantly so they don’t always catch it in the moment and we have no idea where it comes from. I posted on the town Facebook page and nobody else has heard it as they said they are usually all asleep at that time but they said it might be neds out drinking in the fields (less than a mile from our street) as there is an old abandoned farm house that apparently is a popular hang out place. Maybe that’s what I’m hearing but it’s do unsettling at 3am in the dark and i hate to think of someone screaming and not getting help

I’m almost inclined to go out Nancy drew style with a torch and follow the screaming when I heard it and see what’s going on but I’m too much of a chicken. Does anyone have any advice?

OP posts:
EmmaPaella · 17/07/2023 14:59

Foxes?

Meadows4 · 17/07/2023 15:00

EmmaPaella · 17/07/2023 14:59

Foxes?

Sorry I should have included that in my OP as that’s another thing I wondered too. It sounds so human at times especially last night and with the car etc but it could alo be unrelated and just foxes as they sound so human like too x

OP posts:
Marsyas · 17/07/2023 15:01

It will be foxes. They sound very human

x2boys · 17/07/2023 15:02

Not sure there is anything you can do.unless you can pin point what direction its coming from but even then it would be like trying to.find a needle in a,haystsck.

HarrietStyles · 17/07/2023 15:03

Foxes sound SO like humans/children screaming. I’ve been out looking before when I was convinced I could hear screaming and it sounded so distressing. But was always foxes in the fields at the back!

Newestname002 · 17/07/2023 15:22

I also thought foxes. I can often hear them yowling/screaming at night in the back gardens around this time of year - eerie the first few times of hearing. I either close the windows or sleep elsewhere. 🌹

Wallaw · 17/07/2023 15:28

Our first night in London (South Kensington), we were woken at around 3am by what sounded horrifyingly like a young child or woman in distress (being murdered) and groped our way to the window, poised to dial 999 and there, much to our surprise, was a fox sitting in the road shrieking. We're from NYC - no foxes there, and were absolutely astounded by how human it sounded. It was uncanny. If you're rural, I'd bet it's foxes.

Scuttlingherbert · 17/07/2023 15:35

If it was a human, it could be someone screaming during a nightmare, someone with PTSD. Obviously it would be horrible if that was the case, but it would mean the immediate danger for that person is over and there's no need for you to do anything now

MatildaTheCat · 17/07/2023 15:46

If you're rural, I'd bet it's foxes

There are foxes absolutely everywhere especially in built up areas. They do indeed sound like humans being murdered when they are mating.

Try silicone earplugs they are amazing.

VeridicalVagabond · 17/07/2023 16:00

I'd put money on it being foxes, they sound so so human when they scream. Foxes combined with just normal nighttime noises.

DustyLee123 · 17/07/2023 16:01

My DH screams out in his nightmares.

CombatBarbie · 17/07/2023 16:03

Def foxes....

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 17/07/2023 16:03

I reckon it's foxes too - they sound absolutely awful.

Gerrataere · 17/07/2023 16:09

As soon as I read the first paragraph I thought ‘fox’. They sound terrifying! They seem to have a witching hour for their screams as well…

Chypre · 17/07/2023 16:14

Could be foxes. Or if you are near water like a lake/river/pond/ditch then some aquatic birds can have absolutely terrifying "calls".

EsmeSusanOgg · 17/07/2023 16:17

Foxes sound creepily human!

Twelveisthebestnumber · 17/07/2023 16:19

Another one here for foxes. They sound positively human when they do their awful screaming.

DPotter · 17/07/2023 16:24

My 1st thought was foxes too. sorry not helpful.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 17/07/2023 16:45

If not foxes, which is probably most likely, are you sure it's not someone screaming during sex?

I'm by no means an expert 😂but i think it's definitely a 'thing'... 😬

I would think the car is a complete coincidence tbh, if it sounded much cluster than the scream.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 17/07/2023 16:45

Cluster?! Closer!!

CoutureBakes · 17/07/2023 16:49

Does it sound like this?

Muntjac Deer Barking

a doe and buck Muntjac deer barking

https://youtu.be/TWLYfasFEOc

freetheunicorn1 · 17/07/2023 16:50

Apparently badgers mating sounds like screaming.

I know someone that OH called the police when he heard it one night in the nature reserve behind his house.

Redglitter · 17/07/2023 16:53

Realistically it's going to be foxes. If it was a female screaming the police would be getting other calls from her neighbours

JustMint · 17/07/2023 18:05

I scream for months due to nightmares. Have to move my sleeping position to a more sound proofed room so neighbours don’t get too disturbed.

I am going to bite foxes though.

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