Footage has been shared online showing the moment a nude uncle fell to the ground as he raced out of his house to chase a white van he thought had kidnapped his niece.
With no time to spare, not even enough to get a pair of underpants on, Nathan Murphy, 29, sprinted out of his home in Middlesbrough to chase down the vehicle he believed had snatched little Lucy.
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In the clip, a panicked Nathan can be seen racing toward's his dad's car, but as he gets to the door his legs buckle and he falls to the floor.
However, panic soon turned to embarrassment as moments later his 11-year-old niece appeared from around the corner.
Nathan, from North Ormesby, said: "I'd been asleep and as I was waking up all I heard was screaming.
"I jumped up out the bed, tried to find my clothes and I ended up just grabbing a t-shirt thinking it was my bottoms and I flew downstairs.
"When I was on the front I heard 'kidnap' and thought 'wow, this is serious'.
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"I'm a big lad, I'm 18 stone, but I can move when I need to and because the adrenaline was rushing through me I went weak in the legs and I just fell over.
"My dad's car doors lock automatically when someone gets in, so I got up and started screaming for him to let me in because I was naked and half the street was out looking."
And he went even redder when he saw Lucy walking towards the house.
Adding: "I felt stupid and was thinking 'I hope one of the mothers don't report me' because all their kids had seen my downstairs and I didn't want to be put on some register."
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The mix-up happened when Nathan's sister, full-time mum Natalie Murphy, thought she had heard a child banging from inside the van and screaming 'mum', saying it sounded just like Lucy.
CCTV footage captured the whole thing, with Natalie shouting, 'that's our Lucy' before running into the road.
Once she realised that her little girl was safe, however, Natalie saw the funny side of it all, and can be heard joking that she her brother 'had his f**king willy out and everything'.
Looking back at the terrifying moment, the mum-of-four said: "There must have been someone going past, having an argument, booting the van, then I heard 'mam' and I thought someone grabbed her into the back of the van.
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"My heart skipped a beat, it was so scary. I was screaming 'Lucy' and then she came round the corner and said 'mam, I thought something was happening to you'.
"Obviously that was a huge relief, then I was walking back to the house and the next thing I know Nathan's outside b*llock naked.
"I couldn't stop laughing, but at least I know he's got my back and I know he's going to be there for me.
"I asked him what he'd have done if it did really happen and he followed this van, because he'd have been bare-a*se boxing with someone."
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The clip has been shared on Facebook and viewed more than 500,000 times, with thousands of comments and likes.
One person wrote: "Hahaha ffs, I don't even know you but I literally cried laughing at this.
"I'd have done the same if I thought one of my kids got dragged in a van, but was the way someone was laughing saying he had his willy out. ffs I can't cope."
What a hero. Just try and remember your pants next time Nathan.
Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media