Residents left baffled by naked man wearing ‘gimp mask' at night
Residents across Lytham have been discussing the mysterious person's identity on social media, after he was first spotted just before 1am on 18 July.
He was captured on a car dashcam on Westby Street, in the heart of the Victorian resort.
Locals say the clip was then posted on the street's WhatsApp group, with more footage from the night also shared. Clips have since been posted on Facebook and have gone viral.
The footage shows a young man calmly striding down the street, naked except for his trainers and black mask.
'It's a gimp mask, I've watched the footage,' said one resident, who requested they did not want to be named.
'I've no idea what he thinks he's doing,' he added.
'In the days after, we saw a young man, fully clothed, walking around the streets, looking up and around, seemingly checking for cameras.
'We think it's the same man.'
The resident, who was stood alongside his wife, said he knew of no 'alternative lifestyle' establishments locally which may provide a clue to the mystery.
Locals also said Lytham, unlike its close neighbour Blackpool, does not get stag and hen parties visiting the town.
Lancashire Police said the incident took place on Westby Street, Cleveland Road and Bannister Street.
A spokesman said: 'We are aware of a concerning video circulating on social media of a naked male wearing a face covering walking around Lytham in the early hours of the morning.
'This incident was not initially reported to police and has only been brought to our attention after it has been viewed on Facebook.
'Fylde Rural Task Force are currently conducting CCTV and house‑to‑house inquiries and would like to reassure you that we are taking this matter seriously.'
Officers urged anyone with information or relevant CCTV to contact FyldeRTF@lancashire.police.uk.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested on suspicion of GBH after video appeared to show activist Tommy Robinson walking near scene
A 42-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm in connection to an alleged assault at St Pancras station on 28 July. It comes after a video emerged, appearing to show the right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, walking back and forth next to a man lying motionless on the ground. Police said the man was arrested at Luton Airport shortly after 6.30pm, "following a notification that the man had boarded an incoming flight from Faro". "The man had been wanted for questioning after leaving the country to Tenerife in the early hours of 29 August following the incident at St Pancras," officers said. "He was arrested on suspicion of GBH (grievous bodily harm) and will now be taken to custody for questioning." Officers said they were called to the scene just after 8.40pm on Monday last week following reports of an assault. A man was taken to hospital with what police described as serious injuries. He was discharged last Wednesday.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Nigel Farage should do his bit to keep the peace
There is no situation where an intervention by Nigel Farage won't make things worse. He has, after all, made a career out of detecting, exploiting and exacerbating people's grievances and fears, a grim cycle that has delivered electoral success. The man is gifted in his insidious trade, if nothing else. Nowhere is this strategy more dangerously deployed than in issues of migration, race and crime, so often shamelessly conflated by the Reform UK leader with a studied and long-experienced hand. It is done almost instinctively. Once, he even blamed being late for a 'meet-the-Ukip leader' event in Wales on traffic jams on the M4 caused by immigration, rather than, say, the infamous bottleneck at Newport. Rather more grievously, his actions in the aftermath of the horrific Southport murders a year ago did nothing to calm tempers and stop the wild social media speculation that the person responsible was a Muslim asylum seeker who'd more or less just arrived in Britain, via a small boat. He plainly has no regrets and is approaching the disclosure of details concerning the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton in the same reckless manner. He and his Reform UK colleagues on Warwickshire County Council are demanding, as Mr Farage did last year, that the immigration status of those involved be released by the police. The justification, once again, is that there is a 'cover-up' – a serious allegation made without foundation – and people are being denied the truth, presumably through some sense of misguided political correctness. Mr Farage implies, as he did last year, that this 'cover-up' – which he presumably sees as a deliberate attempt to deceive the public – only serves to create confusion and inflame feelings. In fact, of course, it is he who is creating additional tension, adding to a sense of injustice and the fear that the police are more interested in defending perpetrators than defending victims, despite the obvious truth that those accused have been caught and taken into custody by those same police, doing their duty. It is difficult to see why the migration status of everyone arrested on a serious offence should be automatically released, as Mr Farage suggests, even when it is immediately known for sure. If the person involved is a refugee, for example, accepted for indefinite leave to remain, then that does not make them 'more guilty' or their offence 'more serious' simply by the fact that they may have escaped from torture or some war zone. There is a strong probability that migration status will be equated to race, which is even less relevant. The only possible valid use of immigration status in the criminal justice system is if the person is convicted. At that point, the question of deportation does arise. The fact is that someone's immigration status can affect the feelings of many perfectly law-abiding and worried people demonstrating outside 'migrant hotels' (real or imagined) up and down the country on legitimate grounds. They are not all fascists or racists, still less pathologically violent. They are angry and fearful at what they learn from the news and the speculation on social media, and they deserve to be told the facts. But there is just the suspicion that immigration status can, in some grotesque, emotionally-charged way, lead to violence and mob rule. It is, quite simply, wrong and criminally so, to attempt arson on a hotel with human beings inside, whatever the circumstances. It doesn't help anyone or solve anything. If a rapist comes from a family that can trace its English origins to Anglo-Saxon times, that should make people no more or less angry than if the criminal has only lived here for a matter of weeks and is from some country in Africa or the Middle East. Race should play no part in justice, even mob justice. It would be refreshing, statesmanlike and a genuinely great public service if Mr Farage and those like him used their public platform to call for calm and peaceful protest, and not display so much apparent tacit support for angry, violent reactions in tense demonstrations. His warnings sound too much like self-fulfilling prophecies, as when he declared a few weeks ago: 'I don't think anybody in London understands just how close we are to civil disobedience on a vast scale in this country.' Given what happened last July and early August, the opposite is surely true: ministers and police chiefs are all too well aware of such a possibility. The difference is that, unlike Mr Farage, they don't seem to be talking it up. It would make a useful change if Mr Farage didn't make everything into a 'cover-up' and accept that, in many cases, details are withheld for sound legal reasons concerning a fair trial and the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act 1981. The police should not have to break the law and risk upsetting a trial and letting the guilty go free simply because of the threat of a riot if they don't, or accusations of 'two-tier policing'. What's more, Mr Farage shouldn't call for the resignation of chief constables, or any other officers, who are trying to keep the oaths they took to uphold the laws set down by parliament and the King's peace. Standing up for the police, defending the independent judiciary, condemning violence and respecting human rights are, in fact, the patriotic British things to do at times such as these. If he cares about the cohesion of communities and the rule of law as deeply as he claims, Mr Farage should do his bit to keep the peace as well.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Restaurant near Darlington closes after Home Office illegal working probe
A popular restaurant near Darlington has closed after an immigration probe found four illegal workers inside. It was revealed last week that The Oak Tree, in Middleton-St-George, could be stripped of its licence after it was found employing two people who did not have the right to work. The Yarm Road venue was visited by immigration officers in December and was hit with a £90,000 fine earlier this year, which remains unpaid. Ersim Aydi, who operated the venue as owner under a tenancy agreement, told The Northern Echo that she has since left her role. And now, operator and owner Punch Pubs has confirmed that the venue has been closed and will remain closed "for the time being". A spokesperson said: "As a valued part of both our estate and the Darlington community, ensuring the pub's long-term future is our top priority. "We are continuing to work with licensing authorities and hope to provide an update to the community soon.' READ MORE: Four illegal workers found at The Oak Tree near Darlington Home Office probe As previously reported, four illegal workers were found during the visit last year. Three of the four workers did not hold the right to work, while the other was working in breach of conditions during the immigration visit in December. Ms Aydin, who was in charge of employing staff, told officers: 'I don't normally ask for ID, I do ask if they're okay to work and nine out of ten I go with what they say.' A premises licence report said one of the workers tried to run from the kitchen when officers arrived, while another 'attempted to walk away'. The Oak Tree in Middleton-St-George has closed (Image: CHRIS BOOTH) Concerns were also raised over wages after one worker said he was paid £300 in cash a week, which would equate to £7.14 per hour based on the time he was working, more than £4 less than the national minimum wage at the time. Bailiffs have since been sent in to collect the £90,000 fine. Ms Aydin, who took over The Oak Tree last June, claimed that two workers had since started the process with the Home Office and are not illegally working, although this has not been confirmed. She said: 'To Darlington Council, the brewery, the community: I am so sorry if I've ever caused distress. That was never my intention. I tried to belong. 'I took over a pub not to take anything away but to build something for everyone. If I failed, then I carry that failure with pain. Because I tried. I really, really tried. Read more: Post Office confirms branch closing date - as bosses explore takeover interest 'Disruptive' passenger removed from Teesside to Mallorca flight by Spanish police 'Quirky hidden gem' bar to close in matter of days after almost a decade 'I gave all of myself to the pub and the people in it. I never treated anyone like an employee or a customer - I treated them like family. Like human beings. 'I gave everything I could, whether it was time, support, a meal, a kind word. I just wanted people to feel like they mattered. 'To everyone who supported me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.' A Punch Pubs spokesperson said: 'The Oak Tree Inn forms a part of our leased and tenanted estate. It is operated under the terms of a tenancy agreement, meaning the publican runs their own pub business with complete autonomy. 'They are responsible for the day-to-day operation, including upholding the licensing objectives. That said, we take matters like this extremely seriously. 'We have been made aware of the application for a premises licence review and are currently seeking advice to ensure the appropriate action is taken. 'The Oak Tree pub is an important part of the Punch estate, and we will do everything we can to protect its long-term future.'
