French town bans clowns

A small town in southern France has banned people from wearing clown costumes in the street, especially on Halloween.

The decision by Mayor Pierre Dudieuzere, of Vendargues, near Montpelier, follows a series of incidents around France in which people dressed as scary clowns spooked children and in several cases assaulted people. In one incident, an adolescent assaulted a passer-by with an iron bar.