'Killer clown' stalking village weeks before Halloween as residents terrified

11 October 2023 , 13:31

1145     0

The clown has been seen around the Scottish village

A person dressed as a 'killer clown' is stalking the streets of a sleepy village, leaving locals terrified.

The creepy character, wearing a Pennywise-style outfit - complete with scary mask and make-up - even leaves red balloons dotted around the village of Skelmorlie in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Wearing white gloves and a lace collar, as well as a top fastened with big red fluffy buttons, the clown has left the 2,000 locals in fear.

Pennywise the Dancing Clown is the main character in Stephen King’s 1986 novel IT, which was made into a 1990 mini-series with Tim Curry as the scary clown. It was made into a two-part film in 2017, in which Pennywise stalks the streets of Derry, Maine, killing children.

In the past week, a Facebook account set up by the clown - calling himself Cole Deimos - posted images of himself in the darkened streets of the village - and creeping along on all fours over a bridge. In one image, he stares at the screen with a hideous smile on his face, while holding a red balloon. In the book and movies, Pennywise tempts children to their death by making red balloons bob along the road and down storm drains, where he lies in wait to grab them and pull them into the sewers, the Daily Record reports.

In other photos, the Skelmorlie Killer Clown, as he has been dubbed by locals, is shown ‘snarling’ at the camera as he stands behind a locked gate, and posing outside a shop in the village. The clown has also left red balloons dotted around the village, which is just over 30-miles from Glasgow.

Two women in Halloween clown masks break into mum's home and douse her in bleach

One local, who asked not to be named, said he wasn’t letting his two sons - aged 11 and 13 - out at night. He said: "Whoever this is they are scaring everybody - he needs to be stopped. Someone needs to have a word with him before the police get involved or he really terrifies someone. He could give someone a heart attack.”

He added: “One boy in the street along from us said he saw the clown from his bedroom window just before he went to bed - he didn’t sleep all night.” Another local, calling herself Pauline said the photos and videos had just been removed from Cole Deimos Facebook page two days ago - but that they had already done the rounds on social media, leaving villagers petrified.

The clown has posted images on Facebook

She said: “Everyone in the village has seen the video and posts on Facebook of the Skelmorlie Killer Clown and we’re all talking about who it is, but nobody’s got a clue. I imagine he took his photos and videos down because he was getting too much heat.”

Cole Deimos’ Facebook states that he is ‘self employed’ and studied ‘at Clown School’, and that he lives in Skelmorlie. Police are aware of the Facebook posts.

Sarah Vesty