AS I write, the bad weather is moving in.

We’ve been lucky with the weather in the last few weeks but it’s now looking like autumn is here.

With it of course brings longer dark nights and wetter weather. Normally, I’d be smiling as it’s good weather for rugby! But alas, like other sports, it’s been hit by the Covid pandemic.

This week, we were informed by Dr Kathryn Cobain, the director for Public Health for Worcestershire, that cases for the Wyre Forest District are rising. This is alarming for us all.

We all need to remind one another to stay two metres apart and keep to the rule of 6 - wear a face mask where required to and regularly wash our hands.

We’ve been fortunate to date that we’ve not been put into a local lockdown, like we’ve seen elsewhere around the UK. Let’s keep it that way and protect our loved ones, family, friends and the community.

With the cold, wet weather and dark nights, I’d also ask that all those of you that drive take the time to check your vehicles. In particular your tyres - the condition, tread and pressure.

For the children across our district that enjoy using their bikes or walking to school, look out for your local officers during half term. We’ll be bike marking and handing out reflective items for bikes and to wear on their person.

A growing trend across the region at the minute is courier fraud. This type of crime is despicable as the fraudsters often target the old and vulnerable.

Courier fraud is where fraudsters ring their victims purporting to be a police officer, customs officer or bank staff. They then state that they’re investigating unidentified activity/fraud in their bank account and that they must cooperate with their investigation.

The victim is persuaded to withdraw funds and hand them over to the ‘investigators’ either by some remote means or in person to a courier. They can also be asked to transfer money to another account controlled by the fraudsters.

These fraudsters will make up crime numbers, investigation details and use a variety of tricks.

No legitimate bank/building society, police officer or HMRC will ever phone you to ask you to give them your card, your PIN or your cash and I ask for your help in getting this message across our district.

In particular to vulnerable friends and family, elderly relatives and neighbours. If you receive this type of call then call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, ring us on 101 or report it online at westmercia.police.uk

Given all that’s happened this year to date, it’s strange to think that Halloween will soon be upon us! At the time of writing, I’ve no idea what the guidance will be around trick or treating, so those with young ones please ensure to check nearer the time.

Demand is always high for us at Halloween. You’d be surprised at the amount of calls we get from people stating they’ve seen ghosts, werewolves and witches! Please, think before you ring us...

On that note, I thought I'd sign off on a lighter note and recount a tale of old from Kidderminster about Becky Swan.

Becky was born in 1780 and lived on her own in an old weaver’s cottage on Comberton Hill with her three cats that never left her side.

Even though the Witchcraft Act of 1604 had been repealed in the 1730s, it wouldn’t have been wise to advertise her services as a witch.

Becky advertised her services as a letter writer and gave advice on all matters.

Whilst locals thought of Becky as a sorceress and crook, many came to seek her advice.

Becky was a heavy drinker and it wasn’t long before she came to the attention of the police.

Becky went so far as to put a curse on the local magistrate as she was sent down.

The magistrate passed away shortly after… this helped her notoriety.

Once out of jail, Becky went back to her old trade and looked the part of what we might nowadays portray as a witch.

She had a long beak nose, piercing eyes and was by now sporting long matted dark hair.

The story goes that a large black cat appeared on the neighbouring streets, so big it scared dogs away.

The cat was then seen to head to Becky’s cottage and scratch the door. Becky opened the door and is said to have been terrified of the cat, but it entered her cottage.

The next day, the large black cat was seen sat on the wall outside the cottage, but there was no sign of Becky.

As a couple of days passed and by now the large black cat had disappeared, locals now began to worry for Becky as they hadn’t seen her and she wasn’t responding to knocks on her door.

Some had heard screams the night the large cat arrived, but possibly put this down to Becky’s drinking and her outbursts when drunk.

The locals then broke down the door only to discover a pile of ashes next to the fireplace and a pair of Becky’s shoes beside it.

There was no sign of Becky, her cats had gone, no smell of smoke and nothing else in the room had been burnt.

Had Becky’s drinking got so bad that she fell into a drunken stupor and fell by the fireplace and her clothes caught fire? That’s what the coroner listed her death as - ‘accidental death’.

Or were there darker forces at play?

And did the devil claim her through spontaneous combustion?