Vigilante group called ‘The Clown Hunters’ recruiting across Britain on mission to stop craze ‘before it gets out of hand’
Patrols have already taken place in a number of towns as the groups aim to stop "these idiots dressed as clowns"
VIGILANTE groups who want to stamp out the craze of "killer clowns" have dubbed themselves 'clown hunters' and united on Facebook to organise patrols.
They want to hunt down the clowns and keep the streets safe, as a number of people have reported being terrified by clowns holding weapons in public.
Hundreds of volunteers have joined forces to take matters into their own hands.
More than a patrols have already taken place, with about 20 people on each, as the mission to make the streets a safe place again begins.
In a post on Facebook, the group said: "If your group spots a clown perform a citizens arrest if you can and phone the police.
"Catch them on video if you can. And if they have a weapon DO NOT approach them just call the police. Stay safe everyone and happy hunting."
The first person to be charged and fined after dressing as a clown and scaring schoolchildren is 18-year-old Connor Jones from Wales.
A spokesman from the clown hunters group said: "We are trying to stop this clown craze before it gets out of hand.
"These are just normal people dressed as clowns. They are scaring the elderly and children and it has to stop.
"We started this page as kind of a neighbourhood watch group. There are many people in our community who are scared to go out with these clowns running around and kids who are scared to go to school.
"By patrolling the streets we hope that people will feel safer in their homes."
Founder of a Cornwall branch Antony Muchas, who works as a pest-controller, said he set up the group to spread the word about clown sightings and deter clowns from returning to roam.
"I don't like the idea of people dressed up as clowns going round with knives knocking on windows and scaring people half to death. They're idiots, " he said.
"I've got kids and a pregnant wife and a mother who lives by herself.
"There's probably old people who wont go out to the shops because they're frightened they might bump into a muppet dressed as a clown."
The craze has spread from America to the UK in recent weeks with about 30 towns and cities now reporting scary sightings.
Often the clowns appear menacing and carry a weapon of some kind as they target schoolchildren.
Police forces here have warned anyone dressing up as a clown to scare people could be arrested or fined for harassment.
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A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Constabulary slammed the clowns in a Facebook post.
They said: "We'd just like to remind people of the consequences of dressing up in costumes with the intention of frightening others.
"There have been several reports nationally of people dressed as clowns behaving in an anti-social and threatening manner.
"We've received a small number of similar reports locally and would like to remind people that this behaviour can cause concern and worry, particularly to young children and the elderly, and they may end up committing an offence.
";Whether those involved are doing it for a joke or not this is no laughing matter.
"These are stupid acts that are really frightening people and wasting our time. Please don't be tempted to do it. Think of the consequences."
The craze has got so out of control that popular circus, Zippos, has announced its shows will no longer feature clowns.
The Sun revealed today that the teenage son of an England football star has been suspended from his private school for making “killer clown” threats to other kids.
The lad was ringleader in a sick social media stunt that caused eight schools to be evacuated. Police were called in.
The craze has become so frustrating for some, that they have formed Clown Hunter groups on Facebook to try and patrol the streets.
Police have warned that taking part in the "killer clown" craze could land you in trouble, and even arrested.
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