'Faceless people' revealed as marketing stunt

Their appearance at Wimbledon, Henley and Harrods has sparked conspiracy rumours and wild speculation as to their true identity - but now it seems the masked "Faceless people" who have caused such a stir this summer are in fact... car salesmen. It appears the publicity stunt is part of a viral marketing campaign by manufacturers The Lotus Group, to drum up interest in its forthcoming new car, the Eagle. The latex masks, which feature small perforations around the eyes, nose and mouth to allow their wearers to breath, have an eerie quality about them. Blogs and internet forums have been awash with rumours about precisely who the faceless people are. Given the high-profile nature of the events they had attended, some people speculated that they were famous stars, sick of being under the constant glare of the paparazzi.

Others believed them to be a publicity stunt by the BBC, ahead of the Doctor Who series finale this weekend, which may reveal who will replace the current doctor, played by David Tennant, in the Tardis.