Hebdo 'amnesty box' gets Mid Wales village gossiping

Winnie's Newsagents in the Mid Wales town of Presteigne hit the headlines last week after it emerged that Dyfed Powys Police had visited the shop to ask about sales of the controversial comic book.

Copies of the magazine's special edition went on sale in the UK following the massacre at its Paris offices which left 12 people dead.

Soon after Winnie's made the news, a cardboard letter box was placed on a lamppost outside the Assembly Rooms on Broad Street with 'Charlie Hebdo Magazine Amnesty Box' painted on it. No magazines have been placed in it.

Deb Merrett who runs the newsagents with her husband, Paul, said she thought the police action had been unnecessary but said she laughed when she saw the amnesty box.

"I thought that is typical Presteigne humour although one lady did ask if she would have to put the magazine in the box," said Mrs Merrett, who sold all 30 copies of the magazine it had stocked.

The amnesty box has been the subject of much talk in Presteigne this week and many people have taken photographs of it.

Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon said he had been surprised by the police checks and had asked for an explanation from the Chief Constable Simon Prince.

"He told me that officers contacted newsagents to understand where the magazine was being sold and whether sellers were at risk. While I understand the intentions, this was clearly an over-reaction to a threat that, in our area, is extremely limited," Mr Salmon said.

Mrs Merrett said a community support officer and a detective had visited her and asked for details of who had bought the magazine, but she said she declined to tell them. Dyfed Powys Police has denied asking for details of who bought the magazine.

A spokeswoman for Dyfed Powys Police said it had intended to reassure newsagents selling the magazine.

She said: "Following the recent terrorism incidents, Dyfed Powys police have been undertaking an assessment of community tensions across the force area.

"Visits were made to newsagents who were maybe distributing the Charlie Hebdo magazine to encourage the newsagent owners to be vigilant. We can confirm the visits were only made to enhance public safety and to provide community reassurance."

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