Clowns in Britain are up in arms about impostors who are tarnishing their name by scaring people in public places.

The copycat craze, believed to have been started by a man known on Facebook as the Northampton Clown, involves people dressing as circus characters to surprise passers-by in public places.

Bad for business: Scary clowns.

Police in Derbyshire received 29 reports of clown sightings after social media claims a man in nearby Nottingham was dressing up and carrying balloons and a knife.

One report read: ''Caller scared as someone had tried to get in to their house - posted on Facebook that a clown had been going around village trying door handles.''