How The Empress is aiming to bring some magic back to the high street

"THE aim is to bring Arnold to a joyful, magical stop," says mum-of-three Jemma Brookes, who is planning a spectacle the town has never seen before to celebrate the opening of her new shop.

- By LYNETTE PINCHESS

Women wearing witch hats will be taking to High Street for a Witch Walk to share the history of women persecuted for being witches hundreds of years ago.

Jemma, a psychic medium and spiritual mentor, is the founder of The Empress, a new shop offering crystals, candles, readings and rituals. It will be based at The Amp, in a Market Place unit which used to be Skin Solace.

She said: "Arnold High Street is about to witness something it's never seen before. It's going to be colourful, bold and unapologetically witchy.

"We're not just opening a shop - we are making history. We'll be sharing the history of the witch trials and reminding people that women like us, living openly spiritual lives, would have once been persecuted for it."

The walk will start from the shop at 9.30am tomorrow and women, men and children are invited to stand with them in solidarity.

The witch trials in England were conducted from the 15th to 18th centuries, resulting in the estimated death of 500 to 1,000 people, 90 per cent of whom were women.