A YOUNG girl ran away in fear after spotting two ‘killer clowns’ on her way to school in Dorchester as a craze sweeping Britain hits west Dorset.

Police are investigating the incident, and have warned that people dressing up as clowns to frighten others could be arrested.

Police forces across the country have been called to a string of incidents where pranksters or criminals dress as clowns try to scare innocent bystanders.

There have been a number of incidents in Dorset over the last few days.

Ten-year-old Shannon Richards from Dorchester was walking to school on Monday when she saw two people dressed as clowns lurking in an alleyway connecting Coburg Road to Cambridge Road.

Shannon’s mum, Linzi, 35, said: “It happened about 8.30am down the alleyway opposite Thomas Hardye School. Shannon said she saw two clowns, one dressed as a traditional clown in a multi-coloured wig, and the other in a black and white costume.

“She spotted the clowns before they saw her and ran all the way to school as she was scared and doesn’t like clowns anyway. When she got to school, there was an assembly about the craze, telling the children not to talk about it, so she felt she couldn’t say anything.

“As soon as she got home she told me, and I reported it to the police as soon as I could.”

Linzi, who works as a nurse at Dorset County Hospital, added: “On Tuesday, Shannon was so scared to walk to school alone, which is a real shame as I try to encourage her to be independent and she has only just started to walk to school by herself.

“I hadn’t mentioned anything to her before because last time I saw the news it was in Manchester. I never thought the craze would come down here, and didn’t want to scare her.”

A spokesman for Dorset Police said they had received a number of reports of suspicious incidents, adding that neighbourhood officers were currently investigating Shannon’s case.

The Echo reported yesterday how a man was assaulted in Bournemouth by a man who had his face painted like a clown. More people have since been spotted around Bournemouth and Poole donning masks and wigs as they imitate sinister clowns.

A further incident, of a clown running across the road at Okeford Fitzpaine near Blandford was reported to police late on Monday.

North Dorset Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We would like to advise any would-be clowns in the area to stay indoors and not waste people’s time as causing any alarm or distress to the community means they could find themselves arrested for a public order offence.”