IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? IS IT A MAN? NO, IT’S THE MOTHMA

A DARK, powerful winged creature swoops down from the skies as it stalks a terrified passer- by and closes in for the kill.

No, it isn’t a scene from a Batman film, it’s just one of many encounters with flying humanoids experienced by terrified eyewitnesses all around the globe.

Are they maybe fallen angels, malevolent spirits, pterodactyl dinosaurs, or even UFOs?

Reports of these creatures are still coming in thick- and- fast… and they’re horrifying!

Ask a child to draw a picture of a monster and he or she might come up with a beast similar to that seen in sleepy Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in the late 1960s.

The grey figure stood 7ft tall, had wings and in its low- slung head sat two giant eyes, glowing blood red.

And the Mothman wasn’t friendly – it appeared to be stalking human prey and chased cars at speeds of up to 100mph.

The entity is also blamed by many for the deaths of 46 people, so it’s no surprise the gargoyle is still feared, having inspired a 2002 movie, The Mothman Prophecies.

Events began to unfold on a cold November night in 1966, in a wood which once served as a storage facility for explosives and hazardous chemicals during World War II.

In a car making its way through the creepy landscape sat two young couples, Roger and Linda Scarberry and Steve and Mary Mallette.

Linda and Mary recoiled in horror as they spotted a huge figure standing in the shadows.

As this thing shuffled into view, it became apparent it had no arms – just two folded wings tucked up on its back.

And as driver Roger put pedal to metal, the harpy gave chase, taking flight like a demonic helicopter, before gliding just a couple of feet above them, making a sickening sound.

Eventually, to their relief, the Mothman disappeared, but the group raced to Mason Co Court to file a report with Deputy

TRAGEDY: The Mothman was seen just before bridge collapsed, killing 46 people

Sheriff Millard Halstead. The veteran cop was dubious, even though he knew those involved.

But when he went back to the scene of their encounter, he too saw weird dust clouds – as if something had taken off – and heard odd noises reverberating around the buildings.

The next morning Sheriff George Johnson held a press conference to warn locals.

Meanwhile, Linda, who died in 2011, was in hospital suffering from shock.

The newsflash had the residents of Point Pleasant on edge. Some trawled the streets looking to photograph the beast, while others sought refuge with friends.

One of the latter was Marcella Bennett and her three- year- old daughter, Tina. They, along with Marcella’s younger brother Ray Wamsley, were driving to visit Ralph Thomas, cutting through the location where the Mothman was seen.

Upon realising the Thomases weren’t in, Marcella, Tina and Ray walked back to their car.

But as Marcella reached for the door handle, she spotted something inhuman – there was Mothman, standing just a few feet away from her.

In a recent interview she recalled: “He was shaped like a male, with huge wings. The head was like a bird. It was like he was just relaxing. Like he