Girl who jumped in front of car dressed as clown cautioned by police

A 17-year-old girl who dressed up as a clown and jumped in front of a car has been handed a caution by UK police.

West Mercia Police said the teenager was given a formal warning for engaging in disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The force's Brookside Safer Neighbourhood team tweeted a picture of the girl's white clown suit and red-nosed mask after she was arrested on Hills Lane Drive in Telford, Shropshire, at around 8.45pm last night.

A police spokesman said: "Whilst dressing up as a clown is not an offence, any attempts to deliberately harass, alarm or distress somebody is a public order offence that could result in arrest or a fixed penalty notice.

"Officers will be continuing to conduct reassurance patrols across the area to help keep communities safe from harm and will treat any attempts to intimidate people seriously."