A sinister and slightly terrifying suited clown holding a solitary balloon has been creeping out residents of Portsmouth by gently stroking them.
The orange-haired figure has been causing quite a stir after roaming the city, sometimes by bicycle and talking in a "creepy" voice.
Only in Portsmouth would there be a man dressed as a clown stroking random people on the street🎈 pic.twitter.com/NacxrdchUh
— Cat Smitham (@CatrionaSmitham) October 15, 2014Oh, and he also appears to have a penchant for scaring the staff in clothes shops and one woman claims she was chased down the street by him.
Mystery clown scaring children in Portsmouth by lurking silently in streets and stroking them http://t.co/Cz3Oy62gW3pic.twitter.com/tIK6MfWuiO
— BBC South Today (@BBCSouthNews) October 21, 2014But those hoping for some Halloween-inspired horror twist are in for some disappointment - apparently it's no more than the shenanigans of a 15-year-old schoolboy.
Andrea Hutchinson, manger of Preloved Portsmouth, a store frequented by the clown, said: "He comes in once or twice a week.
"He just likes to come in and stand there doing his tricks.
"He also goes around the pubs doing magic tricks and he has a wallet which he sets on fire.
"He is harmless. I can understand people being frightened though. But he’s just a kid."
Tell that to these people.
Why is there seriously a clown going round portsmouth ffs 😳😳😳😳😳
— Robyn Kattenhorn (@robynkatt) October 21, 2014Kill it with fire! >> Portsmouth mystery #clown 'disturbing' people in streets http://t.co/sRkU0ZQnHw
— Mrs P (@jopaterson) October 21, 2014Apparently there's a random clown scaring people in Portsmouth, I am not leaving my house ever.
— Emily (@EmilyJanePower) October 21, 2014Come to Portsmouth where men in suits and clown masks silently roam the streets
— immy (@marnixo_) October 20, 2014Omg there is someone in Portsmouth with a clown mask running around scaring people. oh help me, I hope i never see him!!
— Meg ✌ (@MeggggSheeran) October 20, 2014Portsmouth locals are nuts, just seen a man riding a bicycle in a suit and a clown mask....?
— Lily (@x_lilys) October 17, 2014People of Portsmouth beware of the kid dressed in a suit wearing a clown mask and holding a balloon!
— Nicole Lipizzi (@Nicole_Lip) October 16, 2014But at least they're not American...
Oh wait. America always does it better - they have an armed clown #Portsmouthhttp://t.co/704pKxWWvu
— Caroline Jaine (@Caroline_Jaine) October 21, 2014
