Going back to the 80s, I was a Met Police officer working for the Diplomatic Protection Group.
I was an armed Police Officer and we were tasked in guarding VIPs, Government buildings and Diplomats. I was working nights on the day in question and I was posted to the residence of a Government Minister whose house was not very far from Buckingham Palace.
It was about 2am on a warm summer evening and I was inside the main house and decided to take a walk around the perimeter of the building to check its security. At the time in question , the Police in London were on a heightened state of alert, the Provisional Irish Republican Army were planting bombs in the capital along with Middle Eastern terrorists bringing their conflict here.
The area in question is very atmospheric, it was gaslit and was used for filming TV and movie costume dramas - Sherlock Holmes and others
I opened the heavy front door and was somewhat surprised to see a young boy standing just back from the doorstep.He was about 10-12 years of age, well dressed in a brown Bakers boy flat cap, a russet brown pullover that buttoned at the shoulder, brown corduroy knickerbocker trousers , long woolen socks and boots.He was holding in his hands, a full size old fashioned dark brown leather football.
I said to him....Hello mate, what are you doing here ? My first thought was that there was a film crew nearby and that I could scrounge a much needed cup of tea. He didn't say anything but just smiled at me, he then started to bounce the football. It was at this point , I realised that as the football struck the tarmac surface in the front of the premises, it made no sound.
I then saw a lady standing about 10 yards behind the boy, she was about 30 years of age and was wearing what I can describe as Edwardian dress. She wore her long dark hair pinned up and she wore a straw hat decorated with wax fruit. She wore a long grey Edwardian style dress that had Leg of Mutton sleeves. I saw her mouth move but I couldn’t hear anything. She indicated with her hand to the boy to come to her.
The boy smiled at me again, waved goodbye and turned and ran towards the lady. As he reached her, she held out her hand, the boy took it and then they vanished.
I don’t know what happen that night, a time slip, ghosts perhaps ? I don’t know . I immediately asked my control by radio for a time check which on receiving confirmed the time on my wrist watch. This house was very well lit as it was in a security area. Perhaps they went home thinking who that strange man was wearing a flat cap instead of a Police helmet and a unusual uniform… who knows