A mum has warned for parents to be vigilant after saying her son and two young friends were "chased" by a man in a clown mask - before he allegedly asked one of the boys to come home with him.

Shari Jacques said her 12-year-old son Brandon had been with two friends on Sunday, playing football and riding scooters at Penryn Football Club between 3pm and 4pm, when they spotted a man wearing a clown mask lurking nearby.

He was said to be wearing black skinny jeans and a black thin Puffa-style jacket below the mask.

She told the Packet: "One of the boys spotted a clown in the trees. As soon as he was aware he had been seen he came out, then tried chasing them.

"Two of the boys ran away to get help but one of them stood screaming in fear. As the clown got closer he asked if the boy wanted to come home with him."

Fortunately one of the boys lived not far away and fetched his parent, with another person also apparently coming over to see if the boys were OK and told the clown to go away.

"All three boys were shaken up," added Shari. "I wanted to get the word out so that people could be vigilant and know that things like this could be going on."

She is now hoping that the person who came to help will come forward as a witness for police, as well as anyone else in the area at the time.

"There were a couple of people walking dogs and they might have seen somebody who didn't look to be a normal looking character," she added.

"If anything could come from this it's to be a little more vigilant, especially where children are concerned."

Writing on social media after the incident, Shari said: "Police are involved as the fear of God has been put into these three young boys, as he asked one of the boys to go back to his house.

"Somebody from the footy club warned this person in a clown mask away. But who was this person/witness? Please can we all share so we can help to find the witness and most importantly the scumbag behind this monstrosity of a crime.

"Keep your children safe people, crimes on the up and my child was lucky but do you want to risk your child’s safety?"

A police spokesperson said: "Police were called at around 4.10pm on Sunday, June 16 with a report that a male wearing a clown mask approached three 12-year-old boys at Penryn Football Club.

"The boys were said to be playing on a small football pitch at the bottom of St Gluvias Cricket Pitch.

"It was reported that a male dressed in all black - with a full head clown mask - was seen in some bushes nearby, approached the children and asked if they wanted to go home with him. The suspect was chased off by another adult male.

"Officers attended the scene, carried out a search of the area and conducted enquiries.

"Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police on 101, or email 101@dc.police.uk, quoting log number 619 of 16/06/19."