The Ratman of Southend

The Ratman of Southend is an English urban legend that originated in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The story tells of an elderly homeless man who, while seeking shelter from the cold in an underpass, was attacked by a group of youths and beaten nearly to death. He succumbed to the cold and blood loss. As he lay dying, the many vermin that lived in the area gathered around him and were later found to have devoured his face. Following his death, a ghostly figure was reportedly seen in the underpass. Witnesses described hearing ratlike squealing and the sound of scraping, as if large claws were dragging across the walls.

In 2020, Afterlight Comics published Folktales of the Cryptids Vol. 2, an anthology focused on various folkloric creatures. The Ratman was featured as one of the stories in the collection.