A clown that has been stalking the streets of a Scottish village is back and has a “message for the nation”.
The masked character, wearing a Pennywise-style outfit, has created a game “for the country to play in” after previously leaving riddles and clues for the villagers of Skelmorlie in North Ayrshire to solve.
In a video uploaded to Facebook at the weekend, the clown has highlighted a number of landmarks across Scotland and is urging people to visit them and take pictures of their “scariest faces”.
The snapshots should then be shared online with the hashtag #Skelmorlieclown.
The Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow – which is well known due to the iconic traffic cone on its head – is one of the hotspots singled out by the clown.
Edinburgh Castle, The Kelpies sculptures in Falkirk and Loch Ness were also mentioned. And for those more adventurous, the clown is challenging people to take a picture at the top of Ben Nevis – the highest mountain in Scotland at 1,345m (around 4,413ft).
The clown rhymed: “I have a message addressed to the nation. I’ve created a game for the country to play in.
“Robert Burns cottage, where the legend was from. The Bannockburn monument, where our king won.
“In the Loch Ness, home to our Nessie. In Falkirk the horses that go by the Kelpies.
“In Glasgow the man with the cone on his head. At Edinburgh Castle where kings and queens met.
“In Largs at the Pencil, where Vikings fought. And climb Ben Nevis right to the top.
“Skara Brae from times of old. And at the Calanais Standing Stones.
“All of these landmarks from the east to the west make up the country we know is the best.
“Your game is quite simple, at each of these places… go take a picture with your scariest faces.
“Post it online so your pic can be found and use the hashtag #Skelmorlieclown.”
Read more from Sky News:
Florida’s killer clown shooting case ends
The horrific crimes of Killer Clown and the Candy Man
The clown made headlines across the globe earlier this month for their “message to the media” and cheeky “dare” for the police to catch them – although there is no suggestion any crime has been committed.
Residents in Skelmorlie recently teamed up to solve one of the clown’s riddles which led them to the village’s community garden.
A small black cash box awaited their discovery. But instead of treasure inside, the villagers were greeted with their own reflection via a mirror that had the word “clown” written on it.
Isy Agnew was one of the villagers who solved the riddle after waking up on Friday 13th to find a red balloon and box that included a key outside her front door.
Ms Agnew told Sky News she loved the “clever” joke and said the clown’s Halloween appearances “bring the community together”.
The clown’s games are expected to run up to Halloween.
The joker is dressed similarly to Pennywise the Dancing Clown from Stephen King’s It.
The character stalks the streets of Derry in Maine, where he kills children roughly every 27 years.
The 1986 horror novel was made into a two-part mini-series in 1990 with Tim Curry in the role. Bill Skarsgard then played the villain in the Hollywood adaptations in 2017 and 2019.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
A Facebook account for the Skelmorlie clown has been set up with the name Cole Deimos. The profile says the character “studied at Clown School” and lives in Skelmorlie.
Those that know the identity of the clown – who seemingly first appeared in the village two years ago – are so far keeping their lips sealed as to who’s behind the mask.
Addressing their identity in the latest video, the clown rhymed: “Many have tried and all have failed. The Skelmorlie clown will never be unveiled.”
