A real-life witch has chosen Halloween to dispel myths about bubbling cauldrons with evil brews and ugly witches just waiting to wreak havoc.

Chris Orton, 56, has been practicing witchcraft for a number of years and says her speciality is healing people and bringing cats back to their loved ones after their adventures about town.

Your guide to things to do in Kingston with the undead on Halloween 2014

The-mother-of-one said: "I do a lot for cats.

"I have pretty much a 100 per cent record in helping people find lost cats. I use a photo of the missing cat and I use numerous models of cats - I choose one to represent the cat."

Ms Orton, of York Way in Chessington, also uses magic spells to help heal people when requested.

She said: "Although the images of ugly old crones gathered around boiling potions in large cauldrons lying in wait to cause havoc and harm to all those around them are creepy, exhilarating and right down fun to imagine, these are not accurate or real.

"Witches do not usually cast harmful spells on others but we do use spells to protect ourselves against others.

"I’ve found myself needing a protection spell cast on several occasions.

"It has always worked and never caused harm to others but stopped the harm from hurting me."

But things have not always been so plain sailing.

Ms Orton said: "Witchcraft is not evil.

"Funny things can happen from using magic. I don’t believe there is a witch who has not set a cloak on fire or got wax over everything. Things don’t always go smoothly."

Ms Orton first became interested in witchcraft after she met somebody who complimented a pendant she was wearing.

She said: "I think it’s true when the pupil is ready, the teacher arrives.

"You could be sitting on the train and you could see someone reading the same book as you - and you think that’s one of us."

She added there were a number of witches in the borough - many of who gathered for rituals for Halloween and Samhain - known to most as New Year.

Meanwhile Britain has experienced its warmest Halloween on record, according to the Met Office.

Forecasters say an unseasonably warm 21C (70F) could be recorded today in the South East, eight degrees higher than is normal for this time of year.

 

 

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