A town in West Virginia is said to have been plagued by decades of spooky sightings of a bizarre creature known as Mothman.
Legend says the flying creature terrified several people living in Point Pleasant in the late 1960s and was blamed for the collapse of a bridge which killed 46 people.
The first was said to be on November 12 1966 when gravediggers glanced up and saw a massive brown figure, described as a “brown human being”, moving from tree to tree.
Days later two couples saw a creature with ten-foot white wings and standing around seven foot tall standing in front of their car.
He is believed to have bright red eyes and then flew off at “100mph”.
Two volunteer firefighters also reported seeing the beast.
The last confirmed sighting of the alleged creature was made in December 1966.
Locals in the area believe the legend to be real after so many reported sightings over the years.
Caroline Harris told WCHSTV : "I definitely know the Mothman is real."
Chillingly, some believe the Mothman is a bad omen and only appears when a tragedy is about to strike - such as the bridge collapse.
In December 1967 the Silver Bridge, which carried Route 35 over the Ohio River, collapsed under the weight of the heavy rush hour traffic.
The mythical beast was forever associated with the tragedy thanks to John Keel’s 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies.
It was later made into the 2002 film of the same name starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney.
In an interview Gere said: “The idea of the mothman itself is interesting, and the way it deals with perception is interesting.
“How does the brain-heart connection project outside? What is that scream out there? Is there an 'out there'?"
As creepy as the supernatural being may be, it has become a local legend attracting hundreds of people to the Virginia town every year for the annual Mothman Festival.
Featuring cosplay, photo ops, a hay ride and a 5k race for people to take part in.
A spokesman for the event said: “The Mothman Festival is an annual gathering that commemorates the mysterious visit of the “Mothman” in the 1960’s and is a great event for all ages.
“It's held annually in downtown Point Pleasant, WV and features live music, merchandise from various vendors, food trucks , cosplay, speakers, and of course you.”
A nearby museum in its honour is also a must-see for visitors.
In 2016 a driver claimed to have captured a photo of the beast on State Road 2.
