A man aiming to start hoax rumours of a Bigfoot sighting in the US was run over and killed as he stood in the road trying to startle drivers.

He was wearing a camouflage suit and would have been hard to see, said police in Montana.

He was hit by one car as he stood facing traffic. A second one hit him as he lay in the road after the impact.

Police said Randy Lee Tenley, 44, of Kalispell may have been drinking but are awaiting tests to be certain.

"He was trying to make people think he was Sasquatch so people would call in a Sasquatch sighting," trooper Jim Schneider said. "You can't make it up. I haven't seen or heard of anything like this before. Obviously, his suit made it difficult for people to see him.

"He probably would not have been very easy to see at all."

Mr Tenley was struck by vehicles driven by two girls, ages 15 and 17, who were unable to stop in time, police said.

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