North Somerset 'gimp' sightings: Teen describes freaky encounter

A teenager has described a "freaky" late-night encounter with a man wearing a "gimp suit".

The 19-year-old said he was approached by the man in Cleeve, North Somerset, at about 00:25 BST on Tuesday.

He said the man was "unpredictable, flopping to the floor, writhing and grunting".

A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and has been released on bail.

Similar sightings of a person wearing a "gimp suit" - a full, dark bodysuit and face covering - have previously been reported in the nearby villages of Claverham and Yatton in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

"I don't want this guy to be seen as a bogey man... but this kind of thing, this invisible threat that he could be anywhere… it's indirectly causing fear," the teenager said.

"It's not just about the encounter, but the effect it has in waves through the community. It's quite gut-wrenching," he added.

The witness, who asked not to be named, said he initially thought the man might have been drunk because of the way he was moving.

But as the man approached the teenager and his friend, the teenager said the man "took a step up on the pavement, arched his body and flopped to the ground, without putting his hands out to catch himself".

He said the man was wearing blue latex gloves and a dark bodysuit from head to toe, which was covered in mud.

"His outfit was shiny with some sort of liquid and he was glistening in the torchlight and he smelt really earthy.

"After he had gone... you could still smell it," he added.

The teenager said he initially felt worried for his safety and the pair were in shock - but the "absurdity" of the situation then "tore through the tension" and they began to laugh.

Despite this, the teenager believes some people could be "psychologically damaged" if they saw the same thing.

He said he was still trying to rationalise the encounter and may have reacted differently had he not been with a friend.

Avon and Somerset Police said it was "keeping an open mind about the intentions of the man and whether the incident is linked to any others".

Acting Insp Lee Kerslake said officers "are determined to identify the individual or individuals responsible and stop them".

Conditions of the man's bail include that he must remain at home between 21:00 and 06:00 and present to a police officer on request.

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