Had an interesting experience in the early hours of Tuesday morning. I was lying dozing in bed half awake and half asleep when I saw through the far window, what appeared to be a fire starting outside the house. But it seemed to be about 3 or 4 feet off the ground. I then saw the fire approach the window and realise that in fact it was a lighted match or taper. The window had been closed but unlocked and someone outside had pulled it open and was reaching through the bars with this lighted taper. A long black arm stretched into the room holding this lighted match as a torch and moved it back and forwards, obviously peering into the ground floor bedroom in which Lilian and I were sleeping. I stared hard trying to make out the face against the bars but it was too dark and the flame from the taper was making it impossible to see past it.

I lay on for a moment considering what to do.

I assumed whoever it was could see us lying in bed but reckoned we were asleep and I was wondering how I could slip out of bed and grab the arm and hold on to him. However I saw that the flame from the paper he was holding was now quite considerable and in real danger of setting fire to the curtains. So I shouted out at him, (frightened the daylights out of Lilian who was fast asleep!) and he ran off. By he time I unbolted our bedroom door and then the front door of the house and got outside he was well gone and as I was dressed only in a pair of pyjama bottoms and in my bare feet I didn't pursue him!