By Tim Binnall
The case of a mysterious yellow-clad man seen wandering down a road in Northern Ireland has gotten even weirder as authorities say that they have spoken to several people who claim to have also encountered the eerie phantom. The odd story, which came to light last week, began in late December when motorist Gerard McFerran spotted someone walking along a street while wearing a long coat, pants, and boots that were all yellow as well as a mask and a wig. A video of the chilling incident (seen below) quickly went viral on social media, sparking something of a frenzy among residents of Kilrea, where the man was initially spotted, and surrounding communities, where the 'yellow man' has allegedly been seen again on multiple occasions.
In the hopes of quelling the growing online furor, the Police Service of Northern Ireland reportedly issued a statement on Wednesday wherein they shed some additional light on the peculiar case that has many residents on edge. Indicating that "many proactive patrols" looking for the phantom have so far come up short, they intriguingly revealed that McFerran's encounter was seemingly not an isolated incident as "a number of witnesses" have contacted the cops about also seeing the 'yellow man.' Additionally, the statement noted that the viral nature of the video has led to "further claimed sightings online - which have not been reported to police."
Acknowledging "concern in the community," they called upon the public to remain calm and resist participating in the "ongoing social media speculation and commentary" surrounding the mysterious individual. "The re-sharing of unsubstantiated information," authorities said, "is not helpful and indeed can cause increased fear, particularly amongst our younger school-aged populations." Given the mysterious and creepy nature of the character that has captured the public's imagination, the update will likely do little to stop the online chatter. That said, one imagines that the seriousness with which authorities are treating the case might just convince the 'yellow man' to stop his strange appearances lest he wind up in trouble with the law over the commotion he has already caused.