Town full of lunatics (From Stroud News and Journal)

Town full of lunatics

A SPATE of heavy town centre violence at the weekend has been blamed on the forthcoming full moon.

Stroud police have said booze and bad tempers were not to blame for the rowdy behaviour which saw the cells overflowing on Friday and Saturday night.

Instead they believed the troublemakers were spurred on by a much higher power. Sgt Jason Keates is convinced the disorderly behaviour was brought about by the spectacular moonlight.

He told the SNJ: "When there's a full moon people go mad, I've noticed it before."

In fact Saturday saw only a 3/4 moon but it did light up the night sky. The full moon in all its glory is not expected until next Saturday so Stroud police may well be bracing themselves for an active night.

If Sgt Keates' hunch proves correct, the worst trouble could strike at 8.49pm. This is when the full moon will be at its height.

Over the weekend, around 20 people were arrested after disorderly behaviour in Nelson Street, High Street and King Street and two officers suffered minor injuries.

For more see this week's SNJ