THEY have been professionally 'clowning' around for 25 years.

Brothers Gavin and Ian Radforth turned a pleasurable pastime, helping out a local clown, into a profession.

Gavin explains how their clowning began with Pickles the Clown who they initially came to know through their father, a now retired mechanic who used to fix the professional clown's car.

"We always had an interest in circus and doing clowning," explains Gavin, whose clown alter-ego is 'Malteser.'

Along with 'Izzo' - Ian - the pair were able to learn circus stills, including how to ride a unicycle, from the late Ted Pickles - and it wasn't long before they were joining him during his act. Gavin, who is now 36, was 11 when he began clowning and Ian, now 39, was 14.

When their pal began scaling down his work due to his age, the brothers had reached an age where they could put on their own act.

Initially the brothers fitted their act around daily jobs; Gavin worked at a biscuit factory and Ian was with a filter firm, but as their career took off, they were able to pursue it as a full-time profession. Twenty five years later they are still going strong.

Clowning has taken them all over the world.The furthest they have travelled is New Zealand, America and Russia. They also perform in clown festivals.

Although based in Gawthorpe, near Ossett, the brothers teach circus skills within schools throughout the area, including Bradford, and have performed in iconic locations including Bradford's Centenary Square.

As well as entertaining at children's parties and other special occasions, the brothers have made numerous television appearances including The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Blue Peter, and children's shows.

But for all the joy and laughter Gavin and Ian, and their clown counterparts throughout the UK are bringing to people's celebrations, there are a mindless few whose actions are potentially marring their profession.

Recent reports of a clown craze, which originated in the United States, before spreading to other countries, including the UK, has apparently led to a rise in clown-related calls to police forces throughout the UK.

Many people are now even reporting sightings of frightening clowns on social media. One woman told how she saw a clown walk passed as her children opened the door to talk to a friend in Holme Wood, Bradford.

In another clown encounter in the city, a woman told of one staring at her through a window.

Says Gavin: "It has gone crazy."

But he hopes, for their sake, and the many others making a profession out of clowning, the craze comes to an end - sooner rather than later.

"They aren't real clowns. They are dressed like a clown but they are not - there is a big difference," says Gavin.

"We bring laughter, joy and good times. These so called 'scary clowns' are just out to scare people and frighten them as Halloween is on its way.

"This silly craze will hopefully come to a stop real soon."

The charity Childline recently reported a surge in calls. In just one week it says it was contacted 120 times by children scared by people dressed up in frightening clown costumes to scare passers-by.

A quarter of the calls to Childline about clowns came from children under 11, while more than a third came from terrified youngsters between 12 and 15.

John Cameron, head of Childline, urged people dressing up to act responsibly.

"There is a worrying trend at the moment with some individuals, be they older children or adults, deliberately seeking to dress up in a way not to entertain but to behave in a very scary and threatening way.

"That's a conscious behaviour and should not be tolerated. Sometimes people don't understand the impact they can have."

Equity, which represents professional performers and creative practitioners, has 41,000 members. At least 2,000 of those are registered as children's entertainers with many working as professional clowns.

During the recent annual meeting of children's entertainers, held by Equity in London, the issue was extensively discussed.

Michael Day, the Equity official looking after the interests of children's entertainers, said: “Professional clowns are keen to distance themselves from these incidents which clearly do not involve those working in the business. The perpetrators are likely to be pranksters with clown masks or costumes committing potentially criminal acts. "Professional clowns feel that these stories could make children fearful of them and could also affect their work opportunities.

"Some also believe that they could be placed in danger if they are travelling to a job in costume. The role of a clown is to ‘put smiles on faces’ and this could not be further from what these pranksters are doing.”