Beware the Owlman: The moment terrified urban explorers wandering through abandoned hospital were ambushed by prankster in creepy bird costume

Stunt was set up by Scottish filmmaker Lawrie Brewster in Kirkaldy, Fife

Production team set up seven hidden cameras to record peoples' reactions

He quietly stalks the corridors of the dilapidated building waiting to jump out

Dilapidated St Mary's Hospital used to treat infectious diseases

A prankster is terrifying urban explorers by hiding in an abandoned hospital and creeping up on them.

Photographers visiting the dilapidated St Mary's Hospital near Kirkcaldy, Fife, are confronted by Owlman, who stalks the corridors waiting for unsuspecting visitors.

The haunting creature is the creation of filmmaker Lawrie Brewster, who set up seven hidden cameras inside the Victorian building to film the photographers' reactions.

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Terrifying: The Owlman has been creeping around the abandoned St Mary's Hospital near Kirkaldy in Fife, waiting to scare urban explorers

Vicious: A photographer who walked into the dilapidated building looks terrified as he is confronted by the long claws of Owlman

It captured one man was left cowering in the corner of the room after he tried to close the door on the monster.

Mr Brewster, 33, from Fife, developed a love of the horrific when he was a child and has had his films screened at the Sundance Film Festival and South by Southwest (SXSW).

He said: 'As a child I loved eerie dramas of the supernatural and classic spine-tingling classics, such as Hammer Horror films like The Devil Rides Out and The Wicker Man.

'The idea to create the Owlman was inspired by a terrifying god in the archives of ancient religion, related to the god Moloch.'

Mr Brewster decided to use the Owlman creation as part of a prank which took place inside the abandoned St Mary’s Children’s Hospital.

The horrifying Owlman’s head is made of a mixture of papier-mache, wire, and plenty of feathers.

Trapped: The man cowers in the corner of the room as the creature encroaches on him The horrifying Owlman's head is made of a mixture of papier-mache, wire, and plenty of feathers

He says, 'The St Mary’s Children’s Hospital prank was carefully set up over a period of several weeks, where we assessed how often visitors went to the hospital and what times they were most likely to appear.

'Once we were confident that our unfortunate victims were most likely to appear during a certain day and time, we lay in wait.

'We pranked about six people during the day, and the first three reactions were the most dramatic to share.

'Reactions were consistent with fight or flight, people either slamming doors shut, barricading and screaming at the Owlman to leave or escaping out of the hospital at top speed.

'The first reaction is the epitome of all things Scottish and that’s what makes him marvellous.

'The fact that we have an angry bald man shouting furiously is fantastic.

Stunt: Filmmaker Lawrie Brewster, 33, who created the character, has set up seven hidden cameras in the hospital corridors to catch peoples' reactions to the creature

'The second reaction was the most primal and emotional and perhaps expresses the true terror we all hold in the face of the uncanny.

'We had to stop the prank and escort the man from the ruined hospital and share with him some sandwiches and a flask of tea.'

St Mary’s Children’s Hospital was a Victorian complex used to treat infectious diseases, and at one time focused its work on scarlet fever.

'This is just the beginning of the Owlman’s terrifying career, and we will see him in a mixture of public interactions and elaborate set ups,' he added.