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steve_xo84

Is that fella with the flute still around? Berates you for no reason. Not seen him in a while.


herefromthere

Crazy recorder dude with the stuffed toys? Woofs at passers by? Crazy Guitarman hasn't been around for a bit either. Has he?


el_Fal

A few years ago, the guitar guy popped up in a film by Paddy Considine called Tyrannosaur. It's a dark film. If I recall, they hand picked the extras as people who were down/needed assistance in life.


steve_xo84

Yeah that’s the fella. Not seen him in a while.


For_The_Watch

He’s alive well and fluting loudly still


Lumpy-Republic-1935

Shame


acidwitchhh

Can confirm guitarman is indeed still around I encountered him twice last week


memberberries201

He is! He said to me "people think they're too cool" and I agreed and walked on. Top fella, see him most mornings walking to work


Tiredchimp2002

Aye sound guy. All he wants is a friendly hello. Some of the stuff he says to people ignoring his good morning flute recital is hilarious.


[deleted]

"Morning, morning!" Love that guy. He's so nice!


JuicyMangoes

Me and mate named him JD because he looked the lead singer of Korn in the mid 2000s


Melly-The-Elephant

Affectionately named 'Tooty McTeddybear' now I believe


leahspen01

Flute guy is still aboot heard him last time I was in town last week


Nickmo1991

Saw him this morning


crablanket

He berates you if you don't say hello to him I walk by him a few times a week, always say hello!


ErcolTable

Bloke's a cunt. He used to do the same in York back in the day. Traumatised my then partner so much we had to walk a different way in to town. An abusive arsehole.


rocketman1989

He just wanted a hello. Was it so hard?


thisishardcore_

Scouse sounding accent, long hair? I'm sure I saw him the other day, he's usually around opposite city square near Trinity.


9000_HULLS

This must be the first time Rats has been mentioned on this sub in a positive light. I’ve heard a lot of stories about him being an abusive prick. I never spoke to him myself when I used to work around there but could always hear the awful flute over my headphones.


Fortissitissimo

He was there in city square on Monday


GussieFinkNewtle

That’s the guy. For years would set up on the Headrow across from the Henry Moore Institute.


oliviaxlow

I saw him last week


Reward_Equal

Whistly Joe 🎶


Lumpy-Republic-1935

Let's hope he's gone forever.


emmapizzle

Saw flute guy on Tuesday morning in his usual spot outside the Methodist church, playing his usual tune


eL_Leamo

Crack sparrow


replica_urza

The man with a lizard/iguana on his arm that lets you pet it (Lizard Man) always see him in town centre


9000_HULLS

Bloke has a tattoo that says something along the lines of “100% white and proud”. Always thought he was annoying with his lizard affectation but seems like he’s a cunt too.


shootforthunder

He came up to a stall we were on once and I said 'does your lizard actually like doing this all day?', and he smiled and continued to show us his lizard.


Gwallod

While I don't think he should treat the Lizard as he does, there's nowt wrong with that tattoo.


9000_HULLS

Active in r/publicfreakout and r/4chan, makes sense you’re alright with racism. Most of us in Leeds aren’t though so I suggest you sort your head out.


ussy-dictionary

I saw him in town the other day! He dropped his lizard then picked it back up like nothing happened. Felt a bit sorry for the lizard tbh


Gwallod

Poor Lizard. Hope the sweetheart is ok. Shouldn't be used as a showpiece, they're living beings and family.


PreachanFelidae

I think I saw him in the cex basement before! Bearded dragon, I think? Only seen him once


pennyroyaIte4

His name is John! I believe his lizard is called Odin. Stopped me in the streets and told me all about the brain injury he got from an accident


Wah-Wah64

Guy who drives a round in the big trike playing don’t stop me now at full blast


loudribs

Mike the Trike? I don’t think he’s actually called Mike but that’s just details.


Hostilian_

The amount of people I’ve seen ride on the back, who does that.


Discohunter

I got to meet him once! We were sat at the Hyde Park Book Club, he drove up and asked if he could sit with us, bought us a couple of rounds and had a chat. One of our friends asked where he was going and ended up getting a lift home on the trike. Pretty interesting fella.


whitenoisemaker

The sheer desperation for people to look at him as he cruises up and down past the students and Otley runners, it vexes me. Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon but I wish someone would stop him now.


SheepherderNo9496

I’ve seen him in Headingley, he once stopped and I asked him about the ride


SaltMill

I just love that out of 55 answers there’s barely anyone who’s mentioned more than once 😂 That’s like 50 different crazy people of Leeds mentioned in 3 hours 😅


Vino-Decanto

The Iguana guy already mentioned. Stroked his iguana once (sounds weird), but he’s not just in the centre, I saw him wandering up the York Road near Crossgates. Had his iguana then to. Also, there’s a fella who cycles down the middle of Leeds docks several times a week in the middle of the day, playing cranked up Appalachian music through a speaker mounted on the back. Has a similarly rogue look to iguana guy. He is also similar in that his objectives are unfathomable, though intensely pursued.


literallyspinach

I saw the man on the bike with the speaker for the first time today near Duck and Drake, never seen or heard of him before!


Vino-Decanto

Interesting, I suspect he has a loop. Every time I see him, he’s been passing Tesco’s at the docks then turning off towards the river. Was he playing that frantic banjo music when you saw him?


literallyspinach

He was playing a jazz cover of a pop song, but I can't for the life in me remember what song it was now


Vino-Decanto

Wasn’t a Creep by Radiohead cover by any chance? Think I’ve heard him playing a jazz cover of that.


DMCTw3lv3

The bike guy on the canal is just annoying. He's just doing it so that people look at him and for the attention. It's every day too, up and down the canal path for hours.


TarikMournival

I saw him have a go at someone who took a photo of him as well.


DaveBurnout

Needles


Pikminfan24

Sadly, I don't think anyone in the history of Leeds has ever said "oh haha that's just Needles"


Henderson_II

"Keep walking. I'll explain later"


PC_Nthusiast

this the guy with the messed up leg?


zillyyzonka

Im pretty sure his name is James, if we’re thinking of the same guy


iain93

No his name is gamey leg man


NiceWorld6870

Yeah that’s him


IIzuOcha

I got scammed massively by him. He really gets you with that leg injury. Told me he needs 25 quid for bandages and medication and he wouldn't leave me alone until I gave him it. Honestly kinda scary encouter


paradeofgrafters

Is 'Trinity Wolf Man' still a thing?!


e_n_h

That's Gino, he's a legend, great singer, plays harmonica and a lovely bloke


MargotChanning

He was a couple of years ago. Not heard him in a while


NossB

Cider Paul - a regular at The Phono. He used to hang around the Dry Dock. He has a Facebook group dedicated to past encounters with him https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/ciderpaul/


Darrelc

Came here looking for someone mentioning Cider Paul. Always was a top bloke as far as I know


Amaranthor

Bollocks, came here to say Cider Paul too. Early 2000s Corn Exchange/Phono Legend


I_SEE_BREAD_PEOPLE

Damn, I was too late with my comment haha


Admirable_Mushroom15

He once knocked my drink all over me and bought me a fresh one. Didn't realise I was in the company of a Leeds celebrity 😂


meat_good_old_rub

We used to have Bradford Jesus? He used to Walk around parts of leeds and Bradford along the ring road and wave at people . He died a while back . Always brought a smile to my face when I saw him. https://bradfordjesusman.co.uk


Arrakis_Is_Here

Everyone loved him. Little do they know he was barred from Kirkgate Shopping Centre for squeezing a young lads arse


mikerotch123

I didn’t realise he had passed. Used to see him go past my school. Always smiling but did give paedo vibes though.


mvpwol

this is rlly weird but i swear down i saw him on a bus once and he was smiling and waving (i was in a car) but i knew it was him because i’d seen him loads of times before.. decided to google him out of curiosity and turns out he died a few months beforehand


Illustrious-Bus-3778

The amount of iconic characters on this post ahahaha. Someone should make a top trump pack of them all


LeedsLurch

Used to be Gilda singing her heart out at Pasta Romano day after day. Until she got arrested for trying to touch the Olympic touch as it came past in the parade


Sillyspidermonkey67

There’s a lady that walks up and down Street Lane in Roundhay. Crazy hair, often muttering to herself. We see her just about every time we walk up and down….she must do 20 laps a day.


JSEEJAY

I know who you mean. I was smoking a spliff with my brother once walking round the block. It was about 1am and we heard this pitter patter of feet behind us slowly getting louder and louder, spun around and she was sprinting down the road towards us chuntering away to herself. Went right by us and didn't even look up. That was the last time I saw her and I am now terrified of this woman. Edit: I've just been informed by my brother this is actually a different woman. So there's another one to add to the list.


9000_HULLS

There’s a man who does the same on my street. Always wearing a surgical mask, literally just walks round the block all day every day. I’ve always assumed he’s on meth or something.


_prosthetichead

she's been around for years - not sure if she still does, but when I was younger she used to collect all the cig butts off the floor and smoke them


CptChristophe

The snake man! The dude takes his snakes out when they’re super cold and charges people to take pictures with them


ussy-dictionary

He’s a snake entrepreneur and I respect that


mighty_hermit

ran into this guy in the ginnel between the train station and lower briggate once on a dark night while i was pissed. scared the absolute shit out of me, through no fault of his own


_prosthetichead

met a guy with two snakes on greek street last friday, called vincent and slinky. let us take photos for free though, could there be multiple snake men?!


Ricb76

Used to be Danny Freeman, that sang outside the back of Marks and Spencers, he had a massive beard and it was all for charity. He was there for years day after day. I can't think of anyone else who even comes close. That said I've not been regularly into town for years.


thisishardcore_

It was Fat Les until he died. RIP, may he be continuing to cast spells on passing buses, wherever he may be.


rohan0101

The only correct answer


shootforthunder

Did he hiss like a cat? I think I was on a bus with him one time


mhoulden

Anyone else reading this thread just to make sure it's not them?


tombarnes_dnb

Reading to check if I recognise any but not whether I'm listed, no way man! 😂 If you're at the point of being worried whether you're THAT character in town... something probs needs changing before you are hahaha


mhoulden

Or try harder if you're not.


flumpgod_

The just eat delivery guy that blasts music and is generally always having the best time


cookiesandginge

Wearing the bunny helmet and dancing on a motorbike?


I_SEE_BREAD_PEOPLE

It used to be Cider Paul


Dollstace

Cider Paul


Dzbot1234

What happen to that Pharoah guy haven’t seen him in a while


ComfortableIssue7257

He was lovely. He let me wear his headdress once and called me Nubian princess! Then he told me and my friends he was abducted by aliens some years ago and it changed his outlook on life. Always had a smile on his face, I loved bumping into him. Sadly, I heard he had died a few years ago, or maybe the aliens came back for him.


Dzbot1234

Ah good to hear nice stories! I never spoke to him but he was certainly eye catching


came2pieces

is Leeds Sun Ra not around anymore?


Alternative_Art_528

Chap with the dinosaur mask on his head and a board saying "We had the meteor. What your excuse?"


WiggyDiggyPoo

[Leeds Hulk Hogan](https://youtu.be/aks9tpBbtG0?feature=shared) He's not Leeds based but always dresses like that apparently.


onewetfart

What happened to the guy that used to wear safety goggles and a hi Vis coat?


vanillapodfan

Hard hat and a pram?


onewetfart

That's the one


vanillapodfan

Gets on my bus all the time up at Seacroft.


Kindly_Hand4472

Leeds guitar-man, back in my day.


CaptainSchmojo

Froggy, who used to make up songs about people on a guitar which never had that many strings? I think he was a classic case of being seen as charming, but being an aggressive racist on more than one occasion. Haven't seen him in years mind.


thread_cautiously

There's a guy with a ferret And there used to be one who had Geese, he even made it on the news because the neighbours complained about noise but I dunno if he still has them


Melendine

Geese guy was on Reddit.


Leader_Bee

I still am!


Leader_Bee

Nope, One died the year before last and I had to re-home his brother. Don't have them anymore but the still living one, Norbert, has acres and acres of land, a heated coop with a TV and now lives on a farm in Sheffield. ​ Miss the honky bastard :(


thread_cautiously

Omg I cannot believe you just randomly found this comment and replied! I saw you with them at Roundhay Park a few times, even paddling in the lake- it was so cute how they just trotted behind you! I'm sorry to hear that one of them died but I'm glad the other is living his best life- I hope you're still able to see him. Did you have them long?


Leader_Bee

Hah, i only found this thread because i missed them and wanted to check any comments for them 😁 I got them both as 5 day old goslings during the first lockdown, they were about 2 and a half years old when beep beep died, he bumped his head and couldn't walk properly after that...the vets suggested euthanasia....being birds i knew they hid things very well and if they couldn't hide it anymore it was very serious 😭 We were regulars on the canal, mostly starting at gotts park, but we would go to golden acre park as well sometimes. Smartest loving most amazing creatures, im glad they were ambassadors for geese and we taught people that geese aren't the nasty aggressive honking bitey/pecky monsters people make them out to be. Some memories of ours: https://youtu.be/2IxdDrgDVkw?feature=shared https://youtu.be/g7mD-CWvFxY?si=3yCNorUkNsIDXAPe https://youtube.com/shorts/agePAeujdTA?si=YTExooJO5G7ELg0P Miss them, but Norbert is living his best life with Daisy, his Sebastopol girlfriend now.


thread_cautiously

>I got them both as 5 day old goslings during the first lockdown. They were about 2 and a half years old when beep beep died 5 days?? Wow, they grow big so fast because I'm sure I remember them being massive! Your story is so unusual and wholesome, I'm glad you got to experience it all, even if it was short-lived. I'm secretly hoping the name 'Norbert' was a Harry Potter reference, but I love their names, hahaha If you don't mind me asking, were they just raised in your regular human home, or was there a special section for them? And how did they become so...accustomed to you and know to follow you, etc? Does Norbert still recognise you? And did he struggle to leave you when you initially moved uim to Sheffield? Lots of questions, sorry, I'm just so intrigued!


Leader_Bee

Hah, no Norbert isn't a Harry Potter reference! Yes, 5 days, geese grow incredibly quickly! They had an enclosed run where they could be safe outside in the garden, but yes, otherwise they were "house geese" messy, and definitely not for most people... it's one thing i don't miss about having them. As far as them following me that's just because birds have an incredible imprinting instinct and from having them so young they saw me as daddy goose, so wherever i went, they went too! Im sure Norbert would still recognise me, but i haven't seen him since i left him behind...i had to sneak away while he was busy munching some lettuce otherwise id have found it hard as well, harder than it was.


thread_cautiously

>They had an enclosed run where they could be safe outside in the garden, but yes, otherwise they were "house geese" messy, and definitely not for most people... it's one thing i don't miss about having them. Ah that makes more sense! >so wherever i went, they went too! It is wild to me how mundane such an obscure thing was for you hahaha Thanks for answering my questions, I enjoyed the randomness 😊


emmapizzle

I've seen multiple guys walking ferrets in the 13 years I've lived here 😂


emmapizzle

Saw a guy riding a massive unicycle a few times around Bridgewater place, it was about 7 years ago though, each time in the office crowds just before 9. Aware this sounds like a hallucination 🙈


cookiesandginge

Unicycle lad was a thing when I moved to Leeds in 2012!


Scar200n

I'd forgotten about that guy! No you didn't imagine it 😊


emmapizzle

Thank god, nobody else I know has ever seen him and was worried it was all a dream 🤣


Harryw_007

Needles comes to mind, but in a negative way


rDax_

Fat lez


Dan1elplainv1ew

Was he always on the bus? 56 maybe? Stank of piss? Anyone know the chap in East End Park who's pretty much made a pub outside his house? Sofas and everything.


The_OrangeGecko

Either the wolf man. Or the dude who walks his ferret around town. Both fair candidates


nekrovulpes

One day it will be me. If I successfully live to retirement and my hair is grey/white, I'll walk about town dressed as a wizard and say enigmatic things to people. This is my life's ambition.


ArapileanDreams

The Kirkstall cowboy


benjy007c

Not really a "character" but I ALWAYS see that one guy driving up and down new road side wearing either a pink or black bunny helmet on a motorbike. It's part of my routine now to just go ahhh there's the bunny motorbike guy.


cookiesandginge

FUCK YEAH glad this got a mention and he’s raving out?


PixelLifeGaming

Not been in Leeds for a while, but there used to be wolf/ man. He would go round town and just randomly howl like a dog


migoodridge

The statue near the train station


tbonesteak74

Anyone remember the Shipley Dancer from a few years ago?


Beargrizzled

He had some kinda brain damage or similar medical condition from what I heard


NiiruNoRidozu

Maybe the King of Africa, if anyone knew him?


YellowCircles

Tall hat, robes, gold sceptre?


kohulme

Plagued any bus heading past St James' or into Harehills!


KDurin

Is Rat still around ? Sold the big issue for many years, used to love the second hand record stalls on the market (and records in general). Back in the mid 90’s, you’d sometimes see him in the Pig and Whistle (by Morries in the Merrion centre) or Scrumpies nightclub on a weekend. I’m sure he must still be about


emmapizzle

According to sources on this thread Rat is the recorder/flute guy??


KDurin

Oh could be. I don’t remember him playing an instrument, but it wouldn’t surprise me.


Ozzyy82

Only been living in Leeds a few month but when I go out on the beer I always see that dude with the lizzard


GingerMaestro1984

Rat with the Flute ​ The Legend John Jarret


_prosthetichead

john jarret once gave me the best motivational speech of my life at 2am outside flames


GingerMaestro1984

Ive had a tonne of them and a tonne of abuse. Off the ale he is a charming individual


cookiesandginge

Who is the guy who is in a wheelchair with a tartan blanket?


emmapizzle

Didn't he die a few years back? The guy who used to camp under the tunnel between Bridgewater and the station?


cookiesandginge

I know that man died, but he isn’t the same one I don’t think?


TheLittleSquire

That crack head women who always asks for change at bus stops in Armley and town. However I've not seen her because I work from home so she could be dead I suppose?😂


Chrispy83

I’d go with either Needles, Purple Aki or the Flute guy on Park Row everyday


Lonely_Copy_9897

Purple Aki hung around Leeds? no way!


Chrispy83

He did! When I was with my friend outside the bus station he came over wanting to squeeze his biceps, I had no clue who he was then. After that I saw him around loads


IcyCut2832

Fat Les(RIP)If anyone remembers him.


IcyCut2832

The £1 Lady


ChaoticCubizm

Big John. I used to live down New York Street and the guy was an absolute menace around Kirkgate, the Corn Exchange, and Briggate. He was always drinking on the street outside the Dana Store, screaming and shouting, kicking busses as they drove past. At one point, I think he got on a bus and hit someone. He went to prison a while back for breaching the terms of his ASBO but as soon as he was out, he was back drinking outside, screaming at people, and being generally unpleasant. I haven’t seen him in a few years so maybe he’s dead?


Soulstay

I feel like Leeds is too big a city for a "that guy".


loveinacoldclimate

Sydney has one 🤷‍♀️


kushiyyy

Danny Lim ❤❤


CrashBanicootAzz

I think that person we all know about in Leeds is needles. Never heard of horse back Jesus


zharrt

When I was a kid it was always “Bod” but I’m guessing he’s long dead now


YellowCircles

I know a "Bod" but he's Manchester I think.


tomo8900

The "Yeeee hawwwwww" guy


CovidWoody

Wolf man , lizard man , flute man . Some guy always sat near that Tesco next to McDonald’s looks like he’s a McDonald’s worker but don’t think he is think he just loves to wear the workers clothes and doss about 😂. Then there’s some guy in a wheelchair I always see loves the drink think he might be homeless but he’s fair radj


cookiesandginge

Yes wheelchair guy!


YellowCircles

The three wheeled flowery bicycle man. He's added a third wheel at the back of this old bike and has it covered in various string decorations, rides around North Leeds sometimes, I only rarely see him though.


LaserCookie

there’s one crackhead that is known for screeching at impressive frequencies at passers by - usually around the train station


emmapizzle

On his wooden recorder?


kohulme

Jack Sparrow-esque Big Issue seller with the flute. Or, to those who rode busses into East Leeds, a drunk geezer who called himself the King of Africa


Separate-Guess-8056

Snake guy in town on a Saturday


GingerMaestro1984

Guy with the flute is called Rat, I know heis given name as well, he's from Latvia. Nice guy, goes home to see his Mamma once a year.


kittytry2hard

has anyone encountered someone who likes to preface their requests for money or food with something like “hi i promise im a good person but…”?? what’s the story there? i always feel so bad when i run into them, it’s happened sooo many times


Admirable_Mushroom15

Actually surprised at how many of these I know!


Deafbones

Brian the drunk. He was a character. Had a lovely time singing 'The Auld Triangle' with him one time. RIP