999 operators take 57 calls of supernatural silliness

West Midlands Police have received nearly 60 supernatural 999 calls over the last two years, with people claiming they have seen it all from UFOs to zombies.

Of these 57 calls, 25 have come from the Black Country with nine Sandwell residents claiming they have seen ghosts, aliens and even witchcraft.

Five calls were taken from Dudley and Wolverhampton with six Walsall residents complaining about the supernatural.

Twenty came from the Birmingham area.

Wolverhampton residents reported three ghost sightings, a glimpse of a witch and an example of witchcraft.

Dudley people meanwhile reported two ghosts, a UFO, a zombie and an alien, while Walsall residents reported two ghosts, two aliens, a witch and a zombie.

In Sandwell, witchcraft was the most common cause for a 999 call with four. Three phone calls were placed to the emergency services line regarding a ghost sighting whilst there was one call each apiece for sightings of an alien and a witch.

The most common call across the whole of the West Midlands was in regards to a ghost sighting with 14.

Force spooksman, Billy Corrigan, said: "Our officers routinely see the consequences of spirits when things go bump - but that tends to be of a night when the pubs have closed their doors and we're making sure people get home safely.

"While the figures can seem amusing, behind some of these 'supernatural' calls may be a deeply troubled individual or a person wasting valuable police time which would be better spent preventing real crimes.

"West Midlands Police always take action against those found to be knowingly making false and malicious calls to the emergency services."

John Wickham, a spokesperson for the British UFO Research Association, added: "If people think they are in immediate danger that warrants a 999 call then of course they should ring the police. If it's to report something that's non-emergency then that's wrong.

"To report something like 'I have seen a spaceship' doesn't warrant a 999 call, unless they truly believe they are in immediate danger.

"If the call has come in on a Friday or Saturday night after 11pm then there's a chance that that person has been drinking.

"People have different views on the extra terrestrial. Some people believe in it and some people don't. People get carried away from their own beliefs.

"You can't believe in UFOs. If you can see a plane flying overhead but I need my glasses to identify it then it's a UFO to me but an IFO (identified flying object) to you.

"Some people do make hoax and nuisance calls purely because they have nothing better to do than waste people's time. People say they need to be made aware of the consequences but I think they do know, they just don't care.

"I would be more than happy for West Midlands Police to put our number on their website so if anyone has a sighting of a UFO they can call us."

Cannock Chase in nearby Staffordshire has become famous for various super natural sightings.

The most recent of these was alleged drone footage of a mysterious black-eyed girl who was spotted in the wandering woods.

A website has been set up dedicated to these sightings. It can be found at http://paranormalcannock.blogspot.co.uk/.

And then of course, there's the most famous spooky sight in the Black Country: the Dudley Dorito. The triangular 'UFO' has been spotted in the region's skies on several occasions.