INVERCLYDE’S charity clown champion Tommy Armstrong today condemned a craze in which pranksters dress as ‘killer clowns’ to scare people.
Dozens of incidents have been reported around Britain in a trend that started in America and has also spread to Canada and Australia.
People wearing scary clown masks have been jumping out from behind trees wielding knives and axes, and others have followed children.
Tommy fears the ill-judged prank could get worse in the run-up to Hallowe’en.
The 75-year-old, of Greenock, says he has experienced incidents in which teenagers have pushed frightened friends in front of him while he is out on the streets in fancy dress raising money for good causes.
He said: “There are some people who have been frightened by clowns when they were very young, and they never lose that fear.
“Sometimes their so-called friends take advantage of them by pushing them at me when they see me fundraising in the street. This really annoys me and I tell them to stop doing it.” Tommy, a grandfather, says parents often tell him that their children are afraid of clowns.
He said: “The parents say they can’t understand why the children are happy to run up to me.
“They aren’t scared of me because I have a happy face and I don’t wear one of those ridiculous masks that are frightening people.
“I give the children lollipops and cuddly toys.”
Tommy wears his clown suit at races around the country – his most recent was the Great Scottish Run 10k – and at his regular collection stance on West Blackhall Street.
Tommy said: “Giving people a fright with a clown mask is no laughing matter. They could get such a fright that they have a heart attack.”
Psychologists say some people are scared of clowns because of their exaggerated looks and evil representation in films, such as in Stephen King’s ‘It’ and The Joker in ‘Batman the Dark Knight’.
Tommy said: “Some people see a monster when they come across a clown.
“Nobody should take advantage of that for a so-called ‘laugh’.”