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The owner of a witchcraft shop in Horncastle believes being a witch is a “beautiful lifestyle” and that the negative connotations of being “green, nasty and riding broom sticks are far removed from the truth”.

Shelley Mayes, known as Wiccan Elder and High Priestess Shelley, comes from a line of Romani gypsies and her nan was a witch. When she was younger she did palm readings and used a crystal ball, and she grew more into it and expanded her horizons further as she got older.

In 2017, Shelley opened her witchcraft shop Flange and Prong by herself on West Street in Horncastle. The team has now grown to five, who are known locally as the Witches of West Street, and they have come through adversity to build up their reputation.

Flange and Prong is predominantly a witchcraft and spiritualist shop which sells incense, oils, crystals and other things to make up a spell, as well as cauldrons, dream catchers and more. It also offers a variety of services both in the shop and online, including tarot and crystal ball reading, and past life regression.

The team have had to battle adversity along the way, with some “church going folk having a lot of opposition” to the shop when Shelley first opened it, to the point that they would cross the road just to avoid walking past it.

However, she said the local community on the whole have been supportive and their perceptions have gradually evolved over time.

Founder Shelley told The Lincolnite that witchcraft is a way of life — one she believes strongly in.

She said: “When you put the word witch in something it conjures up an image of something green and nasty and riding broomsticks, but that is totally not what we are like and is far removed from the truth.

“We do have some broomsticks in the shop and all the things you would normally associate with a witch, like a cauldron and a wand, but we don’t use them the same way as in a story book. We use them for spells and our intentions can be put in to help heal the world.

“We are not to be feared. Witches have been around for years. We are very misunderstood and there is a negative label attached, but we are completely different to what people think.

“It is a very loving lifestyle, and as witches we are not here to do harm, we are here to do good.

“We would try to encourage people to be open minded, but wouldn’t force anyone to try it. We want people to understand that it is a beautiful lifestyle.

“We are more in tune with nature and our houses reflect our beliefs with lots of crystals around, and I have an altar where I make an offering or affirmation every morning.”

Shelley also runs an invite-only coven in Horncastle where ladies get together to “raise energy and perform spells”, while the shop team try to help the local community and listen to their problems.

She added: “It is a big thing to be invited into a coven and there are a lot of connotations. We try and enlighten people, but there is nothing dark and satanic about it. It is about love and healing.”

Meet the Witches of West Street

Founder Shelley is a tarot card, crystal ball and palm reader. She is also an interfaith minister and, along with her colleague Sarah Farmer, she is a wedding and funeral celebrant under the banner of Chloris, including things like handfasting and the Pagan right of passage.

Sarah is a raiki master and also does tarot card readings, past life regression, Indian head massage and more.

As well as working at Frange and Prong, Amber Marie owns her own business in Horncastle called Fantastical Kingdom, which predominantly specialises in jewellery. Chris Byrne is a tea leaf and gypsy card reader,

Tess Lowe-Rawlings is a tarot card reader and a medium, who does spiritual awareness and witchcraft courses, as well as carrying out energy healing.

Tess said: “I am always connected with my natural surroundings in a very intuitive way and understanding the emotions of animals and people without really knowing why.

“When I was around 11, I found the title of what I’d be doing and realised it was witchcraft. I then strengthened my path. I am a Pagan and follow the Pagan religion which is a very in depth way of life.

“I am very much more aware of everything going on around me, as a witch I am more in tune with things.

“For example, in Tesco doing my weekly shop, I am aware of the energies of those around me and where my food comes from, and am able to give thanks to those who produced it and to earth herself for allowing us to grow the food.”

Tess does spells every day, such as stirring her morning coffee clockwise as she puts in her intents for the day. On Wednesday morning she stirred her intent “into having a peaceful and happy day”.

Shelley added: “I think seeing is believing. If people knew our results they may have a different perception. What people believe is their own lookout, but if they come into our shop they will see.

“My success rate is high, as is that of all my staff. You have to experience it and not come in with a pre-conceived idea.

“For example, we were struggling to make the rent one month and put more positive energy into ourselves. Just by saying it and putting it out there, or doing a physical spell, does work, and extra money was found.

“I can feel the spells working as I do them, you have to be there to experience it, as it is about raising energy – everything in life has an energy.”

Flange and Prong is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 10am and 5pm, as well as 12pm-4pm on Thursdays.

With Halloween coming up later this month, the shop is planning to open later until 8pm on October 30. There will also be prizes for everyone who comes into the shop in a costume, and from 6pm there will be discounted readings.

The team at Flange and Prong are also on the lookout for a new and bigger premises as the business continues to expand.

An ex-RAF serviceman who had online sex chat with someone he thought was a 13-year-old schoolgirl was caught in a police sting operation.

David Walker, 51, chatted with “Sky” even though she told him her age early on in the conversation.

Philip Plant, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court “Sky” was actually a decoy police officer posing as a schoolgirl.

During the chat Walker made comments such as “Have you ever had naughty fun?” and went on to suggest the girl should carry out a sex act, saying he would show her what to do.

As a result of the conversations, which happened in a 24-hour period in February this year, police visited Walker and examined his mobile phone and computer.

Mr Plant said: “His phone had searches for the phrase ‘schoolgirl’.

“The defendant was interviewed and initially denied it but eventually made admissions.”

The court was told Walker had no previous convictions.

Walker, of Elizabeth Avenue, Tattershall Bridge, admitted charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

He was given a 16-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete up to 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He was also ordered to pay £425 prosecution costs.

Recorder William Harbage QC placed him on the sex offenders register for 10 years and gave him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

The Recorder told Walker: “These are serious offences. You have brought shame on yourself, on your wife and on your family.

“You engaged in chat with someone who on the face of it was a young girl of 13. In fact she was a decoy set up by undercover police to lure people who have an interest in sexual chat with children. I’m satisfied that on the material in front of me that you do have an interest in school age girls.”

Sunil Khanna, in mitigation, said Walker served in the RAF for 10 years before suffering a breakdown.

Walker, he said, left the RAF but has since suffered mental health problems.

Mr Khanna said: “It was essentially a conversation over a day. It was thoroughly disgraceful but it was with a decoy.”

There have been nearly a thousand new COVID cases recorded in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday, the highest daily tally so far — as Sajid Javid announces cases could reach 100,000 a day nationally.

Today’s figures mean there have now been more than 130,000 cases across Greater Lincolnshire’s three upper tier authorities, with Wednesday’s figure being 9.3% higher than the 863 cases at the same point last week and 8.91% higher than the Wednesday prior’s 886.

Nationally, a further 49,139 cases have been reported in the UK, meaning there have been eight consecutive days of more than 40,000 cases. A further 179 people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive test. Coronavirus deaths are up 21.1% in a week nationally.

The latest COVID stats for Lincolnshire are:

• 965 new cases of coronavirus in Greater Lincolnshire with 713 in Lincolnshire, 112 in North East Lincolnshire and 140 in North Lincolnshire
• One death was recorded in the government figures in North East Lincolnshire, but one was removed from Lincolnshire’s figures – this often happens when data is clarified following initial publication.
• Hospital data showed one further death at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust

They include Molnupiravir, which has undergone clinical trials and shown reduced risk of hospitalisation or death by 50% – and Ritonavir, which is still undergoing clinical trials but is widely used in combination with other treatments for HIV infections.

Both drugs first need to be evaluated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), but if successful will be given to the most vulnerable with COVID.

Elsewhere, he urged people to get the vaccine as soon as possible, including the most vulnerable getting booster jabs and opening up the national booking service to 12-15-year-olds.

The government has faced calls from the NHS Confederation, which represents health service organisations, on Wednesday to implement its Plan B, which includes mandatory face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces.

Elsewhere today, England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Boston-boy Jonathan Van-Tam has urged youngsters to not believe everything they read on social media, instead asking to trust medical professionals and get the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday, October 20

130,273 cases (up 965)

• 86,386 in Lincolnshire (up 713)
• 21,410 in North Lincolnshire (up 140)
• 22,477 in North East Lincolnshire (up 112)

2,379 deaths (no change)

• 1,738 from Lincolnshire (down one)
• 328 from North Lincolnshire (up one)
• 313 from North East Lincolnshire (up one)

of which 1,430 hospital deaths (up one)

• 876 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
• 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 509 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.