Sightings of Slender Man have risen in Cannock Chase, a town in Staffordshire, England. The growing number of sightings of the 8-foot, thin specter has left locals feeling uneasy. Some witnesses have described the eerie figure as having “blood-red eyes” and wearing clothes from the Victorian era. Most of the sightings took place in the town’s forest area, but some people claim to have seen the entity in their own homes.

A photo has also been taken in the Cannock forest and allegedly shows an apparition believed to be none other than Slender Man himself. The photo was taken by medium Christine Hamlett. While the photo is vague, Hamlett believes it shows the top half of the specter.

Cannock Chase is a small mining town and is long known as a hotspot for ghost sightings. One local resident from Pye Green claimed the Slender Man paid her a visit back in December. She describes her chilling encounter in the following manner:

“I was awoken just before 2am by an odd scratching noise in my bedroom. To my astonishment, there was what seemed like a sphere-shaped shadow by the edge of my wardrobe.”

“It was about eight feet tall and had a white face with razor-sharp fangs.”

Past witnesses have claimed even more frightening encounters with some saying they were pinned down and rendered immobile while a terrifying figure loomed within their peripheral vision.

Investigator Lee Brinkley has been looking into the recent Slender Man sightings and finds it strange that there has been a sharp rise in these reports. She suggests that some of these experiences may be linked to sleep paralysis, a condition where the mind wakes up but the body cannot move. This can lead to intense fear and the feeling that someone or something is watching them while they are unable to move.

Slender Man sightings in recent months have generated social media discussions of the paranormal. The legend of Slender Man is a centuries-old folklore with roots in Scotland, though sightings have been reported all over the world. In May, two girls from Wisconsin, USA, tried to kill their 12-year-old friend by stabbing her repeatedly in the hopes that their murderous act would conjure the Slender Man and get it to reveal itself.

[photo credit: slender man]