The devil was once raised in Wilsden to catch a scissors thief.

This and other bizarre stories appear in Astrid Hansen's history of Wilsden -- the first comprehensive history book on the village.

Astrid, who lives in Manor House Road, has gleaned various accounts of the devil story and other anecdotes from a number of sources.

She writes on how the Bingley Guardian of 1976 reported that over 100 years ago there was a spate of petty thefts in the village.

To put a stop to it a Professor Bombost, of Huddersfield, was called in.

Most of Wilsden's population gathered in the square to watch him raise Satan to persuade the thief to return a pair of scissors.

The professor drew a circle around himself, filled a cauldron with a noxious substance and chanted.

It is then claimed an apparition appeared "white all over with fire issuing from his hands and mouth" saying that if the scissors were not returned within a fortnight the thief's bones would rattle in his grave and his soul would "knaw noa peace".

Embarrassment rather than fear was aroused at a pantomime performed at the Mechanics' Institute (now converted to flats) by Wilsden Cricket Club in the late 19th-early 20th century with "Alad-In and Out".

The leading lady got her skirt caught in the curtain, so every time the curtain was raised the audience got a view of her underwear.

The book also reveals many Wilsden families in the early 20th century kept pigs rather than relying on butchers for their meat supplies.

"Some were kept in a pen in the garden, some even in a cupboard in a corner of the room," writes Astrid.

The book covers everything from the origins of the name Wilsden to the history of Wilsden Brass Band, mills, pubs (there once being 11 in the village) and village life.

Some of the anecdotes come from 20-year-old tape recordings of conversations between Astrid's husband, John, and old Wilsdeners.

Astrid and John moved from Bradford to Wilsden in 1964 soon after marrying.

The only historical records of the village's past had been a selection of slides taken by Reg Fawcett, a pictorial history by Dr Gary Firth and a few old published articles.

These slides were often shown with a talk by Reg's son, Peter, but nothing had ever been written, so Astrid saw a golden opportunity.

With support from Peter and his father's slides, her husband and other villagers, she began her research.

Astrid, a pharmacist, has written several historical books, including a history of Bradford Diocese in 1994 -- "One Small Corner" -- and the story of Bradford's Horton Hall -- "Sharp to Blunt".

She feels her Wilsden book shows the village has preserved its individuality into the 21st century.

"Wilsden" is available at Reids Bookshop, in Keighley, and Wilsden Post Office and newsagent, price £8.95.