Texas attorney Mark Metzger said he was “pranking” his home town of Galveston by wandering on the beach in the scary costume, the Galveston Daily News reports.

Police failed to see the funny side and were photographed handcuffing him on the beach. He was charged with disorderly conduct and then released.

In a Facebook post, Mr Metzger said his goal was “bringing positive vibes to the gloom and doom out there, generating some laughter, helping people crack a smile, and restoring our faith in humanity through humour”.

He added that he was “still fuzzy” about how his actions were illegal.