Two young women made a run for it, leaving behind all of their belongings, when approached by a stripping man near Silverstrand beach on Saturday evening.

The young ladies were so ‘spooked’ by the man’s behaviour that they ran through nearby fields - leaving their shoes and bags behind - to get away from him. Gardaí at Salthill Garda Station have asked anyone who has had a similar experience, or who can identify the man in question, to make contact.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening at about 8.30pm. The two women were sitting on the Bearna village side of the beach, watching the setting sun, when they were approached by the male, described as being in his mid-50s.

“They were sitting there when a fully-clothed man with a hat wearing sunglasses started to approach them, but moved slowly from rock to rock undressing as he went,” a family friend told Bearna Beo.

“They got very scared and just upped and ran from him leaving all their belongings behind. One of the girls is in her early 20s but, from a distance would look about 14 or 15, so it’s disturbing that he would do this.  They ran through the field away from him in their bare feet and left everything behind. They are still quite shook over it.”

This comes just a few weeks after Gardaí were called to Silverstrand on report of a man harassing women. In that case, a man was reported for “staring intently” at young female swimmers as they were changing, and for verbally abusing a third woman when he was confronted.

There have been several further incidents involving males exposing themselves to passers-by at a nearby area known locally as ‘Fraggle Rock’ - a rocky outcrop which is said to have been ‘claimed’ by male nudists. Gardaí have been called to the location - between Silverstrand and Bearna village - on numerous occasions, following complaints from the public, but there have been no successful prosecutions arising from these.

Salthill Garda Station: 091 514720