A bogus voodoo priestess who told a 65-year-old woman her family could only be saved from a curse by handing her nearly GBP 80,000 is being hunted by police.

The self-styled witch convinced her victim that she had magical powers by performing simple stage conjuring tricks after approaching her in the town of Neunkirchen, Germany.

Then, say police, she told her a black magic curse on her family meant her son and daughter would die and only she could save them.

She claimed the curse could be lifted if the woman gave her 90,000 (GBP 77,729) in cash which she would perform magic on and then give back.

But when the witch gave back the package she switched it and gave her victim a parcel containing just shredded newspaper.

Now police in Neunkirchen are appealing for information about the witch’s identity.

The only image of her taken from CCTV in a lift shows a blonde woman aged around 50 wearing an ill-fitting coat and carrying a chequered tote bag.

Neunkirchen Police Department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “After carrying out various rituals, the perpetrators faked the return of the cash.

“In order to do this, they gave the injured party shredded paper wrapped in newspaper and kept the real cash.”

The gullible victim only noticed the scam three days later, police said.