Sinister 'killer' Doncaster Clown announces return via Facebook

The Doncaster Clown character posted for the first time in months earlier this week, announcing: "Soon be time for me to come back to Doncaster. What village do you want me to come to?"

The return of the mystery character comes on the back of a remake of the classic Stephen King horror film It and the run-up to Halloween, which police have warned may spark a revival of the 'killer clown' craze which swept the country last year.

The character became an internet sensation in Doncaster last year, posting photos of supposed appearances around the town and announcing villages it intended to visit.

The clown's revival last year came three years on from its last appearance - but was met with threats of violence from angry Facebook users.

There were reported "sightings"on social media of the spooky clown haunting the streets of Doncaster four years ago.

In 2013, police were moved to reassure the public over spooky clown sightings.

Social media sites were awash with reports of people dressing up as clowns and prowling the streets in a bid to scare residents.

However, Rossington Safer Neighbourhood Team quashed the reports and told parents to reassure their children.

In a statement issued at the time on its Facebook page, the SNT said: “We are aware that there are a number of reports circulating on social media of a clown being seen on the streets of South Yorkshire.

“There have been no actual sightings of a clown reported to police or any crimes committed.”

“This has also gone viral throughout the country, please reassure your children.”

In a spate of incidents throughout 2013, clowns had supposedly been sighted on the streets of Grimsby, Lincoln, Retford, Scunthorpe, Mansfield, Bradford, Sheffield and Hull with the incidents seemingly stemming from a series of incidents in Northampton from earlier in the year when photographs of a man dressed as Pennywise the Clown from 1980s horror film Stephen King’s It began circulating.