Terrifying zombie prank sees 'walkers' hiding in the grates of New York's sidewalks

The Walking Dead-inspired zombies terrorise commuters

The Walking Dead sends hungry zombies to infest a sidewalk grate (AMC/YouTube)

AMC has pranked New Yorkers in honour of its show The Walking Dead, hiding actors dressed as zombies in a sidewalk grate and getting them to claw at the ankles of passers-by.

Scroll down for the video

The city's residents proved perfect marks given their notorious anxiety over personal space, shrieking and bounding away as the bloodied hands reached up through the grate.

These sort of pranks were the stuff of amateur YouTube filmmakers a few years ago, but given their propensity to bring in the hits are increasingly being appropriated by brands.

AMC certainly scored a viral hit with this one, which has already clocked up almost two million views.

It follows on from the infamous 'devil baby' prank that also took place in New York recently, seeing a fake possessed baby terrorising those stupid enough to peer into its stroller.

The video has now terrified a whopping 41 million viewers.