A seaside town is being terrorised by a mysterious figure dressed in a black catsuit and mask. Locals say they have heard the “urban jaguar” meowing and writhing about on the ground on paths near Wallasey Beach, New Brighton, in the Wirral.

Footage and photos posted on social media show what some locals have called a “gimp” prowling along a path near a Harvester pub. Abbie Gilbert asked in a local Facebook group: “Anyone know who the freak in the cat mask and morph suit is at the coastal park near the harvester?

“Was walking my dog tonight and heard a man making cat noises, shone a torch he was waving his arms at me before crawling up the hill! Never been so scared!”

Another local told the BBC she too spotted something unusual during a dog walk. The woman said she heard growling when she was walking and her terrier, Mac, started barking.

She told the broadcaster that when she shone her torch into a field it illuminated a “man in a panther costume” on all fours.

The bemused local said: “I didn’t feel scared really. He was just waving his arms and making panther noises. I felt more confused than scared.”

Local resident Adam Crouch told the Telegraph he thought it was someone having a laugh.

Merseyside Police said the force hasn’t received reports of any sightings.

The mystery has sparked comparisons with the so-called “Somerset gimp”, who terrorised an area near Weston-super-Mare.

Joshua Hunt was convicted after police linked him to 25 incidents near the village of Bleadon. The self-employed gardener was banned from wearing the all-black gimp suit in public at night after his reign of terror.

He was made subject of a sexual risk order which prevented him from wearing any type of mask or face covering unless for medical reasons.

A district judge imposed the order after a hearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court just a week after Hunt had been convicted of two offences under the Public Order Act of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress.