The case of the two glow-worms

The Sussex Express newspaper of the 1st of September 1922 carried the following report:-

Glow Worm Gleam

Cyclist's Substitute for Light

Not Good Enough For Magistrates

"Where's your light?" asked P.C. Walker of Charles Hale, a cyclist, whom he had stopped at Winchelsea Road at 10 p.m. on August 12th.

"There it is," replied Hale, pointing to the lamp.

The Constable looked at the lamp, opened it and found inside two glow worms.

The Magistrates at the Hastings County Bench, to whom P.C. Walker related the story, decided that glow worms, although phosphorescent, were not illuminants within the meaning of the Lights on Vehicles act, and fined Hale 2s. 6d.

The Magistrate's Clerk (Colonel F. G. Langham) pointed out that had the worms been fireflies it would have been better.