As Halloween approaches, more and more creepy clowns have been spotted around England.

The trend first began in America, however now the clowns have made their way to us. Decades ago, clowns used to be seen as happy and jolly characters, who would cheer up young children and were very present in birthday parties and children's events. However, clowns suddenly made their way into the horror genre, with various films portraying them as sinister and menacing characters, who committed crimes on a regular basis. As a result of these new horror clowns, people began dressing up as them, to celebrate Halloween, yet this year, it has risen to a whole new level.

It all started in late September, when clowns were spotted on road sides and other public areas. Normally, these clowns are harmless and do not attempt to hurt people, and are only there to scare and shock people, who may be afraid of clowns. Although, some clowns have attempted to injure people, by suddenly pulling out weapons or chasing after vulnerable people.

I interviewed Ellie Whincop, to understand what her views were on clowns, and whether she had seen one in the area.

She first stated that she had caught a glimpse of one, in the Kent area. When questioned about her reaction to the clown, she said, "I was mainly confused and at the beginning quite scared. Although later on, I realised it was most likely a practical joke."

Finally, I asked Ellie what her opinion was on the rising fear of clowns around the country; "In my opinion, I think that most of the fear rising in our country is a misunderstanding because the majority of clowns sighted are young people, set out on scaring others. However, there are a small number of people that are using this trend to cause chaos and truly want to hurt people. Clowns who are saying they will have a 'purge night' on Halloween, is scary for some people. However, some fear may be beneficial, as it makes people cautious." 

In conclusion, although these clowns may be seen as a threat by some people, the majority of clowns are just pranksters, attempting to get a reaction from people. Having said that, there still could be a hint of danger surrounding this situation and therefore we should all try to stay safe, during the days leading up to Halloween.  

Maha Khalid - Newstead Wood School