Who Are They?
The Mole Network is a secretive syndicate of sub-surface sleuths scattered across Wiltshire. Their mission? To gather gossip, expose oddities, and slip stories into the soil until they sprout into full-blown articles. Nobody knows exactly how many moles there are (not even the moles), but one thing is clear: if something peculiar happens in the village, they’ve probably already burrowed into it.

Confirmed Operatives:

Burrow Deep – Library mole. Specialises in council records, lost documents, and whispered overdue fines.

Whisker Watch – Barber shop mole. Picks up personal tidbits, questionable alibis, and the occasional confession during trims.

Meadow Eyes – Dog walker mole. Observes unusual activity on quiet country lanes and suspicious hedge pauses.

Digital Digger – Tech-savvy mole. Monitors local social media for veiled complaints and breadcrumb clues.

Market Ears – Farmers’ market mole. Gathers gossip from stalls, overheard exchanges, and produce-related disputes.

Style of Reporting

Informal, quick bursts of intel

Uses pseudonyms and codenames to obscure identities

Often comes with timestamps, cryptic abbreviations, or maps drawn on napkins

Typical Tip Topics:

Strange late-night deliveries

Questionable council meetings

Disputes over bunting colour

Who was seen emerging from whose shed, and why

Column Contributions

"TUNNEL WHISPERS" – Raw, unconfirmed gossip bites straight from the underground

"NOTES FROM BELOW" – Redacted tip-offs and coded observations from multiple agents

"THE MOLE LINE" – A public invitation for villagers to share sightings and whispers anonymously

Ethics & Handling
All mole intelligence is vetted by Woolly Holmes and the editorial team. Real names are changed, details anonymised, and the ethics of each tip is considered before publication. Moles are instructed to observe, not interfere (unless a toad is in danger).

Visual Style

Blacked-out names, crumpled paper textures

Scribbled field notes and hasty sketches

Dark glasses icons and trenchcoat silhouettes

Fun Fact
The moles once accidentally infiltrated a surprise party planning group, believed it was a covert cake cartel, and submitted a 17-page exposé titled "The Victoria Sponge Conspiracy." It was later retracted, but remains in the archives under "Pastry Incidents."

To send your own tip, slip a note into the hollow near the Old Oak, call The Mole Line, or email under a stylish alias. The network is always listening. Just don’t try to find them... they’ll find you first.