Clown on a mobility scooter seen gliding through Sheffield

A masked clown riding a mobility scooter has been caught on camera by astonished onlookers.

Sheffield car salesman Justin Martin Lee posted the eerie footage of the clown speeding along the the main A61 route into the city centre.

His Facebook video has since been viewed more than 17,000 times.

Mr Lee, from Martin Lee Car Sales, said: "He just shot past and we managed to get the phone out. It was just very strange."

The sighting comes after a spate of US-style clown pranks across the UK prompted a warning from police.

Earlier this week, Northumbria Police issued an appeal and warningafter a series of incidents in Newcastle involving people dressed as clownsjumping out and scaring schoolchildren.

A 13-year-old boy was arrested in the Blakelaw area of the city on Tuesday following reports of someone dressed as a clown attempting to scare passers-by.