Who is Le Loyon? Police hunt 'terrifying' figure who has stalked Swiss woodland wearing gas mask, boiler suit and cloak for TEN YEARS



'Le Loyon' has been haunting the woods of Maules for a decade

First photograph of sinister figure taken last month by a passer-by



Was once seen clutching a bouquet of flowers despite menacing air

Local officials are hoping to speak to him or her after children flee the woodland in terror



A mysterious person has been photographed for the first time after apparently wandering around a patch of woodland for the past 10 years.



The figure, who is known as 'Le Loyon' and has been called Switzerland's answer to the Loch Ness Monster, wears a military uniform and a thick cloak, with a gas mask covering his or her face.



While he does not seem to be obviously aggressive or dangerous, police are hoping to speak to Le Loyon in an effort to encourage him to be less threatening.



Tales of Le Loyon have been reported in the woods of Maules in western Switzerland for the past decade, apparently walking the same route every day.



Spotted: 'Le Loyon' has been photographed for the first time after a decade spent wandering the woods

However, last month Le Matin published what is believed to be the first ever photograph of the figure.



'I came across him near the marches,' said the unnamed amateur photographer who tracked him down. 'I approached him up to a dozen metres away.



'He had a military cape, boots and an army gas mark - an antique type, I think. He measured more than 1.90m. He stared at me then turned his back on me and left in silence.'

One local resident encountered Le Loyon in June last year - when the creature appeared to be clutching a bunch of flowers.



Marianne Descloux, who also lives in the area, told Le Matin that her run-in with him came in spring.



'It was a rainy Sunday,' she said. 'He had a cap, a dark cloak and his gas mask.



'What could possibly be going through his head? I don't know, but it was unforgettable - and unpleasant. I hope I don't run into him again.'



Scary: Many locals are now reluctant to visit the forest of Maules in western Switzerland

Others testified that Le Loyon had terrified their children with his unusual appearance, while it is said that some women are scared to visit the woods alone.



'Families simply won't go into the forest any more,' a farmer said, adding that Le Loyon had been seen regularly over 10 years. 'No one here finds this story funny.'



There have been a number of theories as to the figure's true identity - a mentally ill woman, a gigantic man, or someone suffering from a nasty skin condition.



Others suggest that Le Loyon has deliberately chosen a hermit's life, perhaps because he is a 'survivalist' obsessed with the apocalypse.



Despite the terror felt by many at coming face-to-face with the mysterious wanderer, he has never shown signs of aggression - but local authorities are keen to get in touch with Le Loyon to reassure their constituents' fears.



'The situation is delicate because we basically have nothing against this person,' said Guy Savary, the municipal official in charge of forests.

