The Doveridge Ghouls
I will say from the beginning I am re-telling a story for someone who witnessed the following events back in the 1950s as a ten-year-old. I won’t give away the location or the locals will have kittens. Here’s what Albert saw.
“I used to wander far and wide as a youngster and at all times of day and night. I loved churchyards as they were so spooky!
One moonless night, I went to the local churchyard and heard some activity near a newly dug grave. So I sneaked up for a closer look. In the dim light, I thought I saw two badgers coming out of a hole in the grave; but they were no badgers. They were human in form, but about 5 feet tall, skeletal with skin dry and stretched over their prominent bones. One sniffed and looked over his shoulder at me with large yellow eyes. I ran for my life!
The next day I returned cautiously and had a look. There was no hole, but there was a damp spot where the hole had been. There was nothing else but for a small piece of bone, the animal bone I thought, with obvious gnawing marks? I was only ten. I told the priest and I was banned from the graveyard and my parents informed me. My Dad laughed and asked what I had been reading? Had I had too much cheese for supper? Then he gave me a strange knowing look.”
Here is a great article about Ghouls, latterly they have been described as having shape-shifting abilities, which might explain why Albert saw two badgers originally perhaps. https://mythology.net/monsters/ghoul/
Unusual in the UK lately, but here is a bit more background on Ghouls.
Ghoul - Description, History, Myths and Interpretations | Mythology.net