Mysterious drawings of people and symbols stuffed into empty mustard oil bottles have been found in a Black Country park in a bizarre series of events over recent weeks, residents claimed today.

People living near Netherton Park in Dudley say the bottles of oil are being emptied over the trees, leaving stains, and left upside down at the base with the drawings rolled up inside in what has been suggested is some kind of mystic ritual.

Police today confirmed they had received a number of reports of the strange incidents.

Resident Gordon Smith, who lives in Greaves Road which runs alongside the park, said he was baffled. “This has been going on for several months,” he said.

“There is usually a rolled up diagram, that depicts a human figure together with various signs and symbols, either inside the bottles or else placed near to the bottles at the bases of the trees.

“The behaviour, that takes place either late at night or in the early hours of the morning, is leaving ugly stains on the trees and, as yet, no-one knows what the effect of the oil could have on the health of the trees. We are also worried that the glass bottles could be broken on the paths.

“It has been suggested by various people who have done some research that it is an old superstition connected with Indian ancestry, perhaps connected to ‘healing magic’ for someone with a heart complaint, but we don’t know for sure.”

Sgt Jenson Bloomer, from the Netherton, Woodside and St Andrews neighbourhood policing team, said officers were aware of the situation and were investigating.

“Regular patrols are being carried out in the park area,” he said.

* Can you solve the mystery? Email our reporters on dudley@ expressandstar.co.uk