Comedian Red Skelton is surrounded by clowns of the Clyde Beatty Circus, giving him a helping hand as he puts on a big nose, in Los Angeles, Calif., in June 1946. AP Photo ...

Following on from the Northampton clown, who has been spotted around town after dark, take a look at some more creepy clowns.

What was once a symbol of silly circus fun has been turned into one of the most ubiquitous images in horror ... We have to start with the most famous evil clown ever. For some, Tim Curry ...

What was once a symbol of silly circus fun has been turned into one of the most ubiquitous images in horror ... We have to start with the most famous evil clown ever. For some, Tim Curry ...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Folks with coulrophobia (the fear of clowns!) should probably steer ... Right, Krusty? One famous make-up-wearing entertainer, the Joker, made sure to force smiles on ...

Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections Dec. 23, 1952: Second only to Santa Claus at the All Church Home party given by the Lions Club was Paul Jung, world-famous clown ...

Some rodeo clowns, like Flint Rasmussen--possibly the most famous rodeo clown in the world--focus mainly on keeping the fans happy, winging one-liners and dancing and singing. "I'm a one-man ...