Having an imaginary friend is normal for kids but at the same time parents can find it can be creepy.

In a thread posted on user-generated website Reddit one user posed the question, "What is the most disturbing thing your kid has said when taking about their 'imaginary friend'?" And the replies are quite eerie.

One user said: "My son from the age of three always tells me about the 'creeper man' who lives in my mum and dad's bedroom. He brings it up after he visits them. I made the mistake once of asking what he looks like. My son said 'Oh, he doesn't have a face.'"

"When I was little I had a whole gang of imaginary friends, both human and animals. One day my mum noticed I hadn't talked about them in a while and asked me what happened to them, to which I replied as calmly as ever that they were in a car crash and had died," contributed another. 

Children often develop an imaginary friend between the ages of three and four.

Psychologist Jodie Benveniste said imaginary friends "can appear when kids are creative and have big imaginations. They can help kids to play creatively, express or process feelings and be a source of comfort or companionship."

As well as companionship, Benveniste said an imaginary friend "allows children to try out scenarios and emotions."

Though some of the replies on Reddit were unsetlling, parents should only be concerned when their child begins to avoid the real world too much.

Also, "If their imaginary friend is overly aggressive or depressed or anxious and it seems to be impacting on the child, it is also worth seeking professional help," said Benveniste.

A common theme used by children when they grow out of their imaginary friend is to tell their family they have died.

"When imaginary friends are no longer needed, the child may tell their family that the friend has gone away or has died or they will simply not be spoken about anymore", said Benveniste.

"This isn't necessarily a cause for concern. It just means they have grown out of needing or wanting an imaginary friend and the real world is taking up more of their attention."

- Essential Kids