Foot-and-mouth keeps witches away

Roads up Pendle Hill will be sealed off

Police have warned revellers to stay away from one of Lancashire's most famous hills as Halloween approaches.

Roads leading up to Pendle Hill will be closed in an effort to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

In previous years, pubs have been closed on 31 October because crowds of people gather on the hill, which is associated with the Pendle witch trials of 1612.

Sergeant Tony Dickinson from Nelson police said: "This year we have been asked by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to look to enforce their restrictions on the movement of people around the moorland in the area.

The hill is associated with witches

"Basically to ensure that any risk to the local farmers and their livestock is minimised.

"In the last couple of years the weather quite frankly has been atrocious and that has kept a great number of people away, however we have seen several thousand people attend in recent years."

Ten people local to Pendle were hanged in the witch trials, and in modern times the hill has become a focus for Halloween celebrations.

Despite the road closures, access to local residents will not be restricted because they have disinfection facilities at their home addresses.

Sergeant Dickinson said: "Access to local businesses won't be restricted in any way... however anyone coming to Pendle Hill with a pair of walking boots will be disappointed.

"People must know that they won't be allowed to walk on moorland as we will be enforcing the restrictions placed on the moors by Defra," he added.