Woman who swapped Salem for Liverpool discovered witchcraft 'by accident'

A woman who swapped Salem for Liverpool has opened a witchcraft shop that's "different from anywhere in the city".

Catherine de Leon travelled more than 3,000 miles from her hometown near Salem in Greater Boston, US, to start a new life in Liverpool six years ago. After moving to the city, Catherine read an article in the ECHO last year about plans to turn Cavern Walks, on Harrington Street in the city centre, into a hotel and 'alternative indoor market' like Quiggins.

She has now opened her shop, As Above So Below, in Cavern Walks. The witchcraft emporium offers tarot card readings, bespoke spell kits and wands designed by Catherine herself.

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Catherine told the ECHO: "There's a lot of people who practice [witchcraft] in Liverpool and in the North West. This gives them a place they can come. It's a serious place that's going to have actual alter supplies for people who know what they're doing."

Catherine also sells her own artwork in the shop and other paintings from local artists on a revolving basis. She first became interested in witchcraft around the age of 12 after being given her first deck of tarot cards "by accident".

Later in life she started doing tarot card readings for friends and clients, before working in the oldest shop in Salem - Crow Haven Corner. Catherine said: "My uncle was an artist and he went to buy wholesale paper from a paper company and they gave him three big decks of Aquarian [tarot cards].

"He had these decks that they gave him as a freebie and he threw them at us and said 'there's a present for you.' I opened mine up and started reading