A British music festival has been forced to change its circus theme after a flood of complaints from clown-phobic ticket holders.
The Bestival, which is to take place on the Isle of Wight in early September, last year broke a world record for the biggest fancy dress party when 10,000 festival-goers embraced the Wild West dress theme.However, The Times has reported that the sight of thousands of clowns could incite a mass panic among crowd members, many of whom will have fully embraced the ‘psychedelic' nature of the event.
Clown phobia - also known as coulrophobia - is becoming an increasingly ‘popular' 21st century ailment, with some suggesting that sufferers revel in the perceived irony of the condition, and are happy to gain attention for it.
Pet Shop Boys and Scissor Sisters are set to headline this year's event.
