Britain's 'first official witch' files tax returns and claims expenses on potions and spells

A 71-year-old became Britain's first official witch after she was given unique permission to declare the job on her tax forms, including claiming spells and potions on expenses.

Cassandra Latham-Jones, 71, was allowed to register as a self-employed 'village witch', using the term when she files tax returns with the inland revenue.

It means she can also write off certain expenses as tax deductible, including ingredients for potions.

Latham-Jones has been a witch and official wise-woman for the village of St Buryan in Cornwall for more than 30 years, offering services including tarot card reading, rituals, sea magic, Dark Arts, spells and wart charming.

The trained nurse and qualified counsellor also carries out other 'witching' duties such as counselling and community services.

She says she is "no different from anyone else in the service industry", but with "slightly unusual" expenses.

The 71-year-old says she became a witch after meeting fellow witches and seeing how it could potentially help other people.

She became an official witch in 1996, when she was in her 50s, after having a car crash that meant she couldn't carry on nursing.

Read more: Woman, 48, charged with murder after body found buried in back garden

She said: "I had to look around for how to earn my living for the rest of my life. It was then that I was sent on one of these business start up courses - led by the benefits system - thinking I would try to make the best of unideal circumstances.

"I was thinking well, I know what I can do, but can I set it up as a business? And then I thought why not!

"I'm the same as a counsellor or a healer, and I'm qualified to do it.

"They told me I needed to register with the Inland Revenue - so that's what I did. It turns out I was a bit of a pioneer because no one has done it before."

She was believed to be one of the first people to use the term officially with the Inland Revenue, saying: "It was as simple as walking into the office one day, asking for a form, and in the occupation box just writing 'Village Witch' - and no one has ever said anything."

She added: "If you put aside all the propaganda and the glitz and the glamour, and other paraphernalia that surrounds it, bottom line is - you're there to help people and aid your community.

"You can't get NVQs in it, or GCSEs or even work experience to a certain degree because it's not recognised as a valid profession by the powers that be."

"My expenses are slightly unusual - I need all the different materials, and the odd bottle of mead - if I'm doing a particular act of magic or ritual.

"But one thing I will say is that if you're going to become a village witch, don't expect to make a lot of money - it's not a good career move if you want to be well-off."

Latham-Jones, who has told her story in her book 'Village Witch - Life as a village Wisewoman in the wilds of West Cornwall', is now officially retired but helps her partner, Laetitia, who hosts practical workshops to help people learn folk magic and wisewoman skills.

Watch: Pastor threatens to expose 'witches' he claims have infiltrated his congregation