People dressed as clowns are trying to lure children into the woods, locals in a South Carolina town are reporting.

Officials in Greenville Country say they've found no evidence to support the sightings but police patrols are being stepped up.

Residents in nearby homes say they saw the clowns trying to attract children.

Several young people reported that clowns tried to lure them into the woods with money, an incident report from the sheriff's office states.

Officers investigated the woods behind Fleetwood Manor Apartments last week after receiving the reports but found "no signs of suspicious activity or characters dressed in clown attire," Drew Pinciaro of the Greenville County Sheriff's Office said in a statement released on Monday.

One resident told police she was walking to her home on 21 August in the early hours, when she saw a large clown with a "blinking nose" standing under a lamp post near a rubbish bin, local news channel WYFF4 has reported.

She said the clown waved at her, but did not speak or come near her.

Another woman told investigators that her son told her that he saw several clowns in the woods "whispering and making strange noises".

The building manager at the apartment complex has put out a statement to alert nearby parents.

"Remember there is a 10pm curfew for the property so to ensure your children's safety please keep them in the house during the night hours and make sure at all time children are supervised," it states.

Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat