‘Killer clowns’ leave girl, 10, ‘screaming for her mummy’ after approaching her in a play park
A 10-YEAR-OLD girl was left "hysterical" after she was approached in a play park by two "killer clown" pranksters.
Neva Shand was playing on her scooter with friends when people wearing masks and carrying an object got out of a car and came towards them.
Little Neva, from Inverness, Scotland, ran home screaming for her mum.
She has been too terrified since to leave the house and has followed her mother around the house as she cannot bear to be away from her.
Her sister and her boyfriend went to the park to get the scooter she had left behind in fear, but it had gone.
Her mum, Natalie, 42, said: "Neva was in the park with her friends playing with her scooter, she was just going round the park and it was about 7pm so it was a little dark.
"Two people got out of a car and started walking towards them and she started running. They all scattered in different directions.
"It was a clown mask they were wearing but the street lights are not very good there. All she remembers is that they were tall.
"One of her friends said that he saw him and one other person.
"She was screaming that much when she came in that I thought she had fallen and really hurt herself.
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"She was absolutely hysterical and it took her a good hour to calm down.
"She kept screaming 'mummy, mummy, mummy' over and over and I just kept trying to calm her down by reassuring her that it's just silly people in silly masks.
"It's just a ridiculous prank. What is a grown-up doing going up to kids' parks? It's just not right.
"At least grown-ups have the power to shout back, but kids are going to be scared of adults, especially adults they don't know, walking towards them in the dark."
Two people wearing masks had been seen near the city's Merkinch Primary School earlier on.
Superintendent David Duncan of Police Scotland said: "We have had a few sporadic reports of individuals dressed as clowns in some areas in Scotland.
"It is assessed that there is a current trend of similar incidents on social media, many of which have been confirmed as hoaxes and emanate from overseas.
"The reports which have been made to police officers are being investigated and do not specifically involve threats or violence.
"Any person seeking to cause distress and potential harm to anyone should be aware that police will take action.
"If anyone has any concerns they should report the matter to police."
The craze to dress up like a clown and scare people is causing chaos in the UK, as sightings of chilling circus acts brandishing weapons have become more common over the past month.
Drivers in Manchester were startled to see two clowns running at their cars on Sunday, and a mum-of-two was left with terrified children after one jumped on her car.
And on Monday morning, an Instagram account promised 20 clowns with knives would descend on Essex schools this week.
A criminologist has revealed why people act differently when they put on costumes such as a clown mask, as the 'killer clown' craze spreads.
The craze has even got so out of control that popular circus, Zippos, has announced its shows will no longer feature clowns.
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