666 is traditionally ‘the number of the beast’, aka the devil, as any Iron Maiden or horror movie fan will happily tell you.

But quite why the pretty market town of Otley should have become the target for a recent series of unwanted signs bearing the troubling symbol isn’t so clear.

At least four parts of Otley have been daubed in white paint bearing the cryptic message ‘NO 666’ along with an ‘all-seeing eye’ over the past week or so.

For those of us not directly affected, this can seem quite good fun – and a perfect excuse to wheel out the latest conspiracy theories about the Illuminati, devil worshippers and the like while we try to figure out exactly what it’s supposed to mean.

Who knows, maybe the signs were inspired by someone who was unduly worried by the recent, and very successful, fundraising zombie run held in the town.

But, fun as it is to speculate, the trouble is that this grafitti hasn’t just apeared on derelict buildings or out-of-the-way spots – it has popped up near a children’s play area, in Wharfemeadows Park, and on the walls of people’s homes and clubs’ meeting places.

That makes it, just like any other unwanted painting, a nuisance that the rest of us non- Illuminati or devil worshipping types will end up having to pick up a cleaning bill for – back here in the mundane world of council taxes.

Fire-hit firm is so determined

As huge plumes of black smoke billowed over Rawdon just a week ago there will have been many who feared the worst for the company at the heart of the fire.

With more than 100 firefighters tackling the blaze, it seemed hard to imagine how Airedale Air Conditioning could survive.

But the company has risen phoenix-like from the ashes and was already touting for more trade in London within days.

Managing Director Clive Parkman has said the company is hoping to supply customers again by the end of the year and is still expecting to make an annual profit.

He has also reassured employees that all their jobs are secure.

Airedale’s ability to bounce back is helped by the excellent reputation it has built for itself over decades of trading.

The company, which has been described by a Government minister as a “great blueprint” for others, is an important local employer.

Its determination to get fully up and running again as fast as possible is very welcome news.