Latest news straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

IF there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call...?

West Midlands Police, apparently.

Because the boys in blue have received a staggering 152 calls about X Files encounters.

And they haven’t just been about little green men or UFO sightings.

Over the last five years there have been reports of ghosts, witches and zombies, too.

But if the truth really is out there, the cops have yet to uncover it.

A Freedom of Information request by the Sunday Mercury has revealed there are plenty of people who believe in things that go bump in the night.

Or sometimes even in broad daylight. Alien abductions can happen any time.

Most of the paranormal claims, stretching from 2009 to 2014, seem to be a load of warlocks, however. Most were filed under “no further police action required” or “advice given”.

But officers took a February 2010 report of a witch in Brierley Hill a little more seriously.

That led to an arrest – and we don’t think it was the witch.

In all, the force received 29 calls from members of the public who endured a Close Encounter of the Third Kind with aliens.

No fewer than 43 folk were spooked by ghosts, and 73 were the victims of witchcraft.

Other incidents are simply labelled “paranormal” because they were unexplainable.

The supernatural stampede has moved the force to issue some down-to-earth advice.

If you see lights in the sky or a headless horseman, don’t use the force.

Similarly, contact a clairvoyant, not your local constabulary.

Below: Gallery of images sent in by readers of ghostly images they've snapped

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: “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.”

The figures reveal some believe that dialling 999 is much more effective than a crucifix and holy water when dealing with evil entities.

In the three years up to 2014, the emergency line was used to report 15 ghosts, 55 witches and two zombies.

Nick Duffy, leading light of West Midlands Ghost, believes police are enduring the fallout from TV shows such as Most Haunted and a hike in the number of paranormal groups.

“When we started in 1989 we were the only one in the Midlands,” he said. “Six years ago there were 70. I stopped counting after that.

“If you call a paranormal group, they will not come out of your house without something happening – and that is the real problem.

“These figure are also a by-product of Most Haunted and all the American rubbish.”

Nick stresses that calling a policeman about things that go bump in the night is nothing new.

“For people who experience things like poltergeist activity, the police have always been a go-to source,” he added.

Below: Video of strange lights in the sky above Kingshurst

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

And they’re not alone in handling downright weird reports.

In recent years, Nick has been contacted by a concerned individual confronted by a POLAR BEAR in Chuckery, Walsall.

He has also spoken to a woman who believed there was a werewolf in her Moseley garden.

“She hadn’t seen it, but had heard growling and scratching around the bins.

“I asked if it could’ve been dogs?”