Here’s a tricky position to try and fill. Wookey Hole in Somerset is looking for a new resident witch. Along with all the traditional skills of a witch, such as the ability to cackle, comes a thoroughly modern salary of £50,000 a year. The salary is pro rata, mainly during the summer holidays, but also at Halloween and at Christmas, but not Christmas Day, and based on work done as needed — presumably turning unruly schoolkids into frogs and flying round the caves on a broomstick. Auditions for the post will take place on 28 July and applicants are advised to “come dressed as a witch and in character”.

Although maybe the only criteria they should use for deciding the winner of the ‘covented’ position is that they weigh the same as a duck. (For the puzzled among you, please see Monty Python and the Holy Grail for confirmation of this fact.)