On May 23, 1964, Jim Templeton, a firefighter from Carlisle, Cumberland, in England, took his wife, Annie, and his daughters, Elizabeth and Francis, to Burgh Marsh, a beautiful area on the Solway Coast. Jim, being an amateur photographer, wanted to take some photos, specifically of Elizabeth’s new dress, with his Kodak SLR. One of the resulting photographs was destined to become one of the most incredible photo mysteries of all time. Jim took three photographs of his five-year-old daughter without incident.

He sent them off to Kodak for processing and was shocked when he received them back. The middle photo had a strangely dressed person in the background. He insists that no one was in the background when he snapped the photo. In fact, he is sure his family were the only ones out there that day save for two old ladies sitting in a car on the road knitting. The strange person also wasn’t in any of the other two photographs. His wife and other daughter were standing behind him leaving only young Elizabeth in the shot.

Jim sent the photo to the Carlisle Police who then sent it on to Penrith, Cumbria, where photographic experts could study it. Finally, Kodak inspected it and the camera looking for any defects. They also inspected the negative, looking for signs of overexposure, bad film stock or possible tampering. Kodak, like the other experts, found nothing wrong. Kodak then offered a reward of free film for a year to anyone that could adequately solve the mystery. The reward went unclaimed.