One evening, deep in the North Yorkshire Moors, Lucy had just turned up for her regular job baby-sitting two young children. She had arrived at around 5pm, made supper, played with the children and help finish off some homework before putting them to bed at 8pm.

As usual, the parents weren't expected home until very late. As the dark winter evening drew in and the lights flickered across the village green she had settled down in front of the television when the phone rang. 'There was a man on the other end of the line. 'At midnight', the voice said, 'I am going to come and kill you'. Lucy immediately hung up and, shaken, phoned her family and boyfriend and who reassured her it was probably a random crank call. Settling back down again she forgot all about the call until the phone rang again.

Expecting it to be her family checking on her, she answered immediately. 'Hello again' said the voice. 'It is getting closer now and at midnight I am coming for you'. The line went dead. Lucy went upstairs to check on the children. They were sleeping peacefully and everything seemed normal but it didn't stop her checking all the door locks and double bolting the back windows. An hour later, at around 11pm, the phone rang again; 'Hello my dear, nearly time',.

This time Lucy telephoned the Police. After explaining what had happened the police operator told her they would put a trace on the line. If the call happened again she was to try and keep the man talking so they could establish a location from which the calls were being made. Within half an hour the phone rang once more. 'Hello sweetheart', it's nearly time for us to meet, I hope you are looking forward to it?'

This time Lucy tried to keep the caller on the line. 'Who are you', she asked. 'Why are you doing this?' But the sinister voice just repeated 'I am coming to see you and the children soon. Will you leave the door open for me?'. Still clutching the phone, Lucy panicked and raced to the front door to check it was bolted. She could hear menacing laughter down the line and screamed, 'Who are you, why are you doing this to me?' 'Just make sure you are ready for me, darling' and the line went dead. Shortly before midnight Lucy heard cars pull up in the lane and hurried footsteps outside. There was a knock on the door and a man 's voice was calling her name.

By now she was frozen with terror. She screamed as the old cottage door burst off its hinges and shadowy figures poured into the hallway, some racing up the stairs, some to the back of the house and two came towards her, crouching behind the settee in the living room. 'Lucy' a female voice called, 'It's alright you are safe now'. Disorientated Lucy tried to focus through her tears and finally made out the uniforms of two female police officers trying to calm her.

Behind them, armed officers carried the children down the stairs and outside to safety and a scuffle was heard in the room overhead. 'What's happening?' Lucy cried. 'We traced the calls', one of the officers told her. 'They were coming from a telephone line inside the house'.