Is Gloucestershire the UK's Capital of Horror?

Just a week after Halloween, it appears Gloucestershire can take the title of the horror capital of the UK, with sightings of witchcraft and werewolves reported by locals.

Reports originating from the picturesque county seem more at home in Joss Whedon's Hellmouth, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

According to the Gloucestershire Echo, people have reported evidence of a "coven of witches" as well as "witchcraft items" over the last three years.

One caller from Cheltenham told police how a taxi driver who had driven his wife had changed into a werewolf.

Another called in saying they had discovered witchcraft items in the Forest of Dean, with the concerned local telling of a "pile of stones in a shapes of human shape".

A man in Stroud called police because he was being poisoned by a satellite above his house that was controlled by a coven of witches.

Gloucester officers said they received a call from a woman whose former partner was threatening to kill her and cast spells on her, while a young boy told police he was a wizard.

Craig Jones, from Gloucestershire Supernatural Seekers, told the newspaper that it is difficult to prove these experiences, adding that a number of people may be swayed by paranormal TV programmes.

"There's a possibility that these sorts of things happen. But a lot of people can be encouraged by all the shows that are on TV," he said.

"You will get people who are involved in it because of the media interest. There are oddities that I've seen and witnessed but because there's more media focus on it, people think more into things.

"We like to investigate fully before committing. We've got to look at all the possibilities first."

Gloucestershire's supernatural sightings follow similar reports from Nottingham last year.

Nottinghamshire Police received over 80 reports of ghosts, witches and UFO sightings over six years. They had 46 reports of witchcraft, 34 of ghost sightings and three UFOs.