QUIRK REPORTS — OFFICIAL CASE FILE

Case Number: QR-2026-00040

RED EYES IN THE DARK: GLIDING GIANT TERRORISES EPPING FOREST MIDNIGHT WALKERS

Classification: Strange Creature / Cryptid Encounter

Date of Event: Last Saturday Night, approximately 00:00

Location: Epping Forest, Essex, United Kingdom

Witness: Dave Wilson (corroborating witness: Chris — surname not recorded)

Witness Statement

At approximately midnight last Saturday, Dave Wilson and his companion Chris were present in Epping Forest, Essex, when they observed a large and deeply unsettling entity moving between the trees.

The creature, as described by Wilson, stood at an estimated seven feet in height and appeared dark in colouration. Its most striking feature was a pair of glowing red eyes, clearly visible in the darkness of the forest. The entity emitted a low, growling sound and moved in a manner Wilson described as unnaturally fast — almost as though it were gliding rather than walking.

"Something tall and dark was moving between the trees. It was at least 7 feet tall with glowing red eyes. It made a low growling sound."

When Wilson directed his torch toward the creature, it vanished instantly — leaving no visible trace. Crucially, Wilson managed to capture a photograph on his mobile phone before the entity disappeared. The image is described as blurry but shows a dark shape with two distinct red dots, consistent with the glowing eyes reported by both witnesses.

"We both ran."

Both Wilson and Chris fled the scene immediately. As of the time of reporting, neither witness has returned to the forest. Wilson described the emotional impact of the encounter simply and plainly: absolutely terrified.

Evidence

Photographic Evidence: One mobile phone photograph has been submitted by the witness. The image is acknowledged to be of low quality and blurred, which is entirely consistent with the conditions — midnight, dense woodland, and the not unreasonable decision to run for one's life. The photograph reportedly shows a dark humanoid shape with two luminous red points corresponding to the eye-level of a very tall entity. This image is currently under review by Quirk Reports.

Corroborating Witness: Chris (surname not provided) was present throughout the encounter and independently witnessed the creature. This significantly strengthens the overall credibility of the report.

Physical Trace Evidence: No footprints or odour were reported at the scene. The instant disappearance of the creature upon torchlight may account for the absence of physical traces.

Fox's Analysis

Right, where do I even begin. Epping Forest at midnight, a seven-foot gliding shadow with burning red eyes, and a photo to boot. My nose for news is twitching so hard I nearly knocked my flat cap off.

Let me start with what I love about this case. Two witnesses. Two sets of eyes on the same creature at the same time. You know what they say — two's company, three's a crowd, but two eyewitnesses is the difference between a story and a scoop. Dave and Chris corroborate each other, and both were frightened enough to leg it without stopping to debate what they had seen. That is authentic fear, and I know authentic fear. I have looked into large black eyes at close range and felt things no fox should ever feel.

Now, the gliding movement and the instant disappearance when torchlight hit it — that is fascinating and frankly a little alarming. We are not dealing with your average woodland animal here. Deer do not glow. Badgers do not vanish. And nothing native to Essex hits seven feet tall unless it shops at a very specialist clothing retailer.

Could it be a hoax? Well, I suppose someone could have strapped on stilts, fitted themselves with LED goggles, and lurked in Epping Forest at midnight on a Saturday hoping to bump into exactly two blokes with a camera phone. But honestly, that sounds like more effort than it is worth. I have been to Epping Forest. It is not a comfortable place to conduct a prank at midnight. It is dark, it is dense, and it smells like foxes. Trust me on that last one.

As for what it actually is — and this is where I put on my serious reporter hat, the one with the press pass — the description aligns loosely with reports of so-called Phantom Black Figures, entities that appear suddenly, move unnaturally, and vanish when observed directly. Some researchers link these to ultraterrestrial phenomena. Others to something altogether older lurking in ancient British woodland. Epping Forest has a history stretching back centuries, and frankly, some of those trees have seen things that would make your ears flatten.

The photo is the real prize here. Blurry? Yes. But you know what I always say — a blurry photo of something real beats a crisp photo of nothing every single time. Why did the photographer get such a blurry shot? Because he was running, Dave. Totally understandable. I would have done the same. Actually, I did do the same once, except I was running toward the light, which in hindsight was the worst decision of my life and several of my most sensitive regions.

Bottom line: this one is going straight to the front page of Quirk Reports. You could say this case has really... forest my attention. I am not going to apologise for that.

Credibility Rating

Rating: 7.5 / 10

• Two independent witnesses — significant boost to credibility
• Photographic evidence submitted — blurry but present and consistent with description
• Consistent, detailed account — no contradictions or embellishments detected during interview
• Genuine emotional response — both witnesses fled and have not returned; fear appears authentic
• Minor deductions — no physical trace evidence, corroborating witness Chris not directly interviewed, photograph quality limits verification

A very strong report by any measure. The missing half point belongs to Chris, who owes us a statement.

Classification

Primary Classification: Cryptid / Unknown Entity

Sub-Classification: Phantom Black Figure — Luminescent Ocular Feature (Red), Anomalous Locomotion, Light Aversion

Possible Cross-Reference: Ultraterrestrial Entity, Ancient Woodland Spirit, British Black Beast variant

Case Status

Status: OPEN

Recommended Follow-Up Actions:

• Full enhancement and analysis of submitted photographic evidence
• Direct statement to be obtained from corroborating witness Chris
• Site investigation of the specific location within Epping Forest — daylight hours strongly advised, ideally not by Fox Quirk alone
• Cross-reference with any historical reports of anomalous entities in Epping Forest area
• Appeal to any other witnesses who may have encountered similar phenomena in the forest

Quirk Reports thanks Dave Wilson for his bravery in coming forward. We know it takes guts to report what others might not believe. We