Residents of a small town in South Carolina have been told to call the police if they see a clown, following reports that people donning luminous noses and oversized shoes may be trying to lure children into a nearby woods

Parents are on alert after a number of mysterious sightings of clowns standing near basketball courts, in woodlands and under streetlights in and around Greenville.

Ryan Flood, a master deputy with the Greenville County sheriff's office told the Telegraph that they were taking the reports very seriously.

"These kids have notified their parents they saw these clowns near the woods. The clowns had lasers and a lot of cash," he said. "Our view is to take it seriously in case there is someone dressed as a clown trying to lure them away."

Mr Flood said that their investigations and patrols had found no evidence to support the claims yet: "We haven't found any clown costume stuff or irregular footprints or other indicators," he said.