Wanted (Full Time): One Good Witch
In this economy, a single job opening can bring out hundreds of applicants. There was just one job up for grabs today in a town in southwest England.
No experience necessary, but it did require a special skill set. The job? Official witch of Wooky Hole. CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reports.
It was, you might say, the job interview from hell. Some 300 hags waited to audition, each one convinced she or he ad what it takes to be the next official witch of Wooky Hole.
"I'm the oldest one here. I'm 400 years old," said one hopeful.
"I love children. Good cackle," boasted another.
One warned, "I've got more spells up my sleeve. Careful I don't turn you into something horrible."
Over 2,000 people were sent applications. Those who made the short list had one minute each to spellbind the judges.
On the panel was a veteran - Jane Brenner - the outgoing witch of Wooky Hole.
"We want someone who can change her character from being a nice, good witch in the summer to an evil one for Halloween - which is of course when we do our fright night," Brenner said. "And somebody that definitely loves animals and children - and can cackle. You've got to cackle."
The winner will work in the Wooky Hole caves - a tourist attraction famous for an ancient witch legend.
The story goes that back in the 8th century, a local old woman was accused of being a witch. She fled into the cave pursued by an abbot. He sprinkled her with holy water and she turned to stone. A very witchy looking formation remains to this day.
But a live witch goes down better with modern tourists and the cave's owners are willing to pay the winning candidate up to $80,000 a year.
This year's winner was Carla Calamity, a local real estate agent.
She's going to quit her office job to weave magic full time.
