Weirdo in gimp mask stared at 7am traffic before running into woods ‘like horror film’

A man wearing nothing but a rubber gimp mask was spotted staring at traffic then running through woodland.

Shocked motorist Craig Upton called 999 after coming across the bizarre sight on his way to work at 7am.

Craig, from Andover, Hampshire, said: “He was standing at a gate in a layby, naked with a latex black mask on.

“He was just staring at the traffic like a horror movie, and then when we drove past again after turning round, he was running off.”

Police are hunting the masked man after the sighting next to the A343 in Highclere, Hampshire.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “We received a report from a member of the public regarding the sighting of a suspicious man exposing himself to traffic at around 7am.

“Did you see what happened? Were you in the area at the time?

“Perhaps you have dash-cam footage which may assist the investigation.”

The bizarre incident comes after a spate of similarly creepy gimp sightings in recent years.

North Somerset villages Claverham and Yatton became a hotbed of activity when they were targeted by a man in a latex gimp suit, terrorising local residents.

For more incredible stories from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here

There were 14 incidents reported to police, with the first in November 2018 and the last in 2019.

A number of terrified victims who had run-ins with the masked gimps spoke about their experiences.

One said: “I thought, ‘This is it, I’m going to get attacked’. Every time I close my eyes I just see that face.”

Officers made two arrests in July 2019, but both men were later released without charge.