NEIL ARNOLD: The Abominable Smokeman…of Essex!

I was sent the following account by a good friend named Sally, from Essex.

‘On the 14th October I was driving home from work. It was approximately 9:30 pm and I turned the corner into the Ferry Lane Industrial Estate in Rainham. I was coming from the A13 end approaching The Cherry Tree. I was about one-hundred and fifty yards away from a ‘shape’ that was manifesting before my eyes and if I’m truthful, if I’d blinked I would have missed it. From the two seconds that it was in front of me, I will try to explain what I saw.

From the railings, a shape approximately the size of a large-shouldered man started to take a human form. It seemed to be made of a dark nicotine-brown smoke, the edge of the shape seemed lighter in colour. Its legs looked strong in their form and the shoulders were broad. The strangest thing was the head, as it was very small in comparison to the body, arms and legs. The ‘creature’ minded me of the yeti – the abominable snowman of the Himalayas. Then just as quick as it had manifested it seemed to be sucked back into the railings as if nothing had happened.

I pondered what it might have been. A trick of the light. My headlights causing an optical illusion. The weather was clear and mild, there was no fog or other cars, or people.

I have driven round that area several times since but have never seen it again…very, very strange.’