Nothing sinister about fancy-dress shop display

SCARY outfit . . . a costume in the window

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A FANCY-DRESS shop has defended its scary clown window display despite the controversial "killer clown" craze sweeping the country.

Staff at The Fancy Dress Outlet on Market Street, Shaw, said it had already created the display before the stunts started to make headlines.

Police have urged the public to avoid the fad, which has seen people dressed as clowns ­- some carrying weapons ­- wreak havoc on the streets.

Despite the negative publicity surrounding the clowns, The Fancy Dress Outlet says it is yet to feel any backlash and will continue to sell the costumes.

Susan Tomkinson, who works at the shop, said: "The 'killer clowns' haven't really been a problem up until now because we have had the costumes in the window before it started.

"We have them in the window every year and we have sold a few.

"We always sell them. We haven't got a massive stock of them anyway. We have had customers comment on them but they aren't worried about it.

"Before it happened we only had two costumes and we pre-ordered all of those last year. We can't sell the stock."

Although the shop hasn't experienced any problems, Susan said staff are aware of the situation when people are looking at the costumes.

Susan said: "I just think there are those people making it worse for everyone else. I don't get why they do it because they are just masks.

"A couple of lads came in and looked at the clown costumes and I said 'you're not going to be stupid with them are you?' They said they would come back with their mum.

"No-one has caused me any worry."