Bedfordshire Police issue warning after '˜killer clowns' spotted in the area

In the past 24 hours, the force has received reports from across the county of people dressed as clowns acting in an intimidating manner.

This follows reports of similar incidents across the country, which have been widely reported in national media.

A spokesperson for the force, said: “We understand that in the lead up to Halloween, people may wish to dress up and enjoy themselves.

“However, there is a difference between this and acting in an unacceptable and threatening manner towards people.

“What may seem like a laugh to you could cause a great deal of fear and anxiety to others and your behaviour could be perceived as intimidating – which could lead to public order offences, arrests, and a criminal record.

“Additionally, this type of behaviour is also tying up valuable police resources, which could impact on calls to life-and-death emergencies.

“Wasting public resources is not acceptable and will not be tolerated, and we would urge people from being tempted to join in with this latest intimidating craze.”