This picture is exactly what I found when I was called out to a customers house because her hallway light was not working. She said she had had someone else come out before me who were there for about an hour trying to fix her hall light. She said that he put the light fitting back up and said he would be back soon with some materials he needed! Obviously he never returned or answered his phone.
As you can see when I took the light fitting down what you see in this picture is exactly how I found the cables. Obviously the guy didn't understand the difference between a switch wire and loop wires! We can only be thankful that the cables did not touch any of the brass on the light fitting.
Of course it took me two mins to sort the problem out and went away with another satisfied customer, and a lot safer too!