The Frog Bandits Strike Again!
We have received a stream of calls this morning from disgruntled residents of Gloucester - the falling frogs have struck again!
In the early morning of Friday 13th June 2025, outcry was heard by many, as hundreds of frogs fell from the sky. Landing in gardens and roads, and even in the handbag of night shift worker on route home, Lynn Brook, “I couldn’t believe it!“. This wave of frogs comes just 11 days since the last frog fall in Worcester, and 22 days since the same in Shrewsbury.
Gloucester authorities have confirmed to us the amphibians were yet again carrying small perfume bottles and croaking “free samples!“ to anyone they got close to. This is the third attack in the bizarre marketing campaign by these crazed critters to peddle their new fragrance line.
Fine for frogs
Toxic for humans
The local police were alerted by way of distressed phone calls and general shrieking from the streets during the hours of midnight to 3am, as hundreds of green frogs, (later confirmed to be Common Frogs, latin name, Rana temporaria), fell from the sky, causing an audible landing and awaking sleeping locals.
Guidance given to residents was to stay indoors and to “hold hostage“ any frogs who had gotten inside their homes for later questioning by police. Residents have advised they were not given instruction on how to do this, and one caller to our news station admitted that in her panic, she tied a frog to the miniature rocking chair from her child’s doll house set and even offered the ribbiting raider a biscuit.
The Gloucester police have issued a statement this afternoon, saying “we are currently unable to enforce a ban on animal to human exchange of goods as there are no existing laws in place, and as we have no idea how they performed their ‘falling fall from the sky’ stunt, we are unable to implement measures to stop another wave of merchant frogs coming to Gloucester”. Truly disappointing.
What do we know so far?
WHERE
They have already appeared in Worcester, Shrewsbury and now Gloucester; we can only assume these band of frogs are targeting each of the seven towns along the River Severn. Look out Bridgnorth, Bewdley, Stourport and Tewkesbury - you might be next!
WHAT
The frogs are peddling a range of perfumes but reports show they are toxic to our skin. On top of that, they’re not smells we’d consider nice! Their foul scents include wet dog, ham sandwiches, and even old fish.
HOW
Historical accounts cite frog falls occurring after storms, earthquakes, or whirlwinds. But these recent happenings arrived on clear nights with no cloud cover. If not via rainfall, how could they have done it? With not much science to go on, we’re left with historical explanations by madmen to consider, such as the theory that if you dig a pond in your back garden, by divine intervention, the frogs will come! Perhaps they’re they attracted to the River Severn?
DEFENCE
In the meantime, be wary of additional bodies of water in or near your town - put covers over public swimming pools and think twice before purchasing a bird bath.
Stay vigilant - contact us with any further sightings.
Written by Miss Tique
Dubbed a “must-read columnist in the world of the weird and uncanny” by Strange Media. Winner of the prestigious 666 award for her documentary on ‘The Ghost Writer”, 2006.
This blog post is part of an ongoing series where I write and illustrate a fictitious story written in the style of a news article, which is inspired by the writing inside ‘Phenomena: A Book of Wonders’, a book by John Michell and Robert J.M. Rickard.
If you’d like to hire me to create some editorial illustrations or any other creative projects, please get in touch.