A PARANORMAL investigator hopes to unearth new leads, possibly of an otherworldly nature, in an unsolved Hagley murder mystery.

The finding of a woman’s body in the Hagley Wood in 1943 and a subsequent cryptic message painted on the Wychbury Hill obelisk – Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? – has baffled and fascinated locals for more than 70 years.

There have been books, documentary films and even a play and an opera about the strange case which has never been solved.

But now – Stourbridge-born paranormal investigator Jayne Harris, of HD Paranormal, hopes to shed new light on the mystery by looking at the ‘other side’ of the story.

Jayne, who made headlines after she revealed video footage of a supposedly haunted doll seemingly moving on its own in the dead of the night in her cellar, is making a new documentary about the Bella legend and as part of her investigation she has visited the site of the gruesome murder armed with a spirit box which scans the airwaves to communicate with the dead.

The mum-of-two says the device picked up a number of possible voices at the site - where four schoolboys famously stumbled on a hollow Wych Elm tree stuffed with the grisly remains of a woman, who has been dubbed 'Bella’ but whose true identity has never been proven.

As well as visiting the murder scene - Jayne has also enlisted the help of a psychic medium who will be speaking to staff at The Badgers Sett, located near Hagley Wood, where she claims there has been “a lot of paranormal activity going on - which some say is the ghost of Bella”.

She said: "The documentary has snowballed thanks to involvement from local people.”

As part of her research she has also "managed to access the entire declassified MI5 file thanks to Mike Pearson of the Black Country Society" and has also filmed an interview with Andrew Sparke, former chief executive of Dudley Council, who has written a book on the subject.

Jayne has also been in touch with the grand-daughter of Josef Jakobs - a German spy and the last man to be executed at the Tower of London after he was captured parachuting into the UK in 1941.

She said: "He had a photo with him of a lady who matched ‘Bella's’ description, named Clarabella, and claimed she was a spy and that he was supposed to meet her in the West Midlands.”

Jayne, aged 34, claims to have new evidence regarding that line of enquiry - which will be revealed in the documentary.

Before finalising the film, however, she wants to speak to any locals who remember the case being in the papers after the murder or who may recall anything relating to the investigation and story at the time. 

She said: “Involving some locals would be fab. We’re keen to see anyone who remembers the 1943 discovery or even people who remember their relatives talking about it.

“The documentary has attracted some attention from the US and we're really excited that it may be broadcast by one of the networks we're in touch with.”

She would also like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed gatherings on Wychbury Hill where she says there have been reports of pagan ceremonies.

Anyone with any relevant information or interested in being featured in the documentary can contact Jayne by calling 07759 207177 or emailing jayne@hdparanormal.com - or via website www.hdparanormal.com.