UPDATED 2.54PM Police aren't chuckling about people clowning around to get laughs on social media.

They've received a number of reports from people who are genuinely scared of some videos that are going around of people dressed as clowns frightening members of the public.

Last night, police were called to Discovery School in Whitby after three boys playing basketball became scared after seeing a man dressed as a clown lurking behind a building.

A police spokeswoman says they didn't find anyone matching the description when they arrived and another group of people at the school at the time didn't see anything.

Police say it appears to be somebody's idea of a joke, but people who have contacted them say it isn't a very funny one.

They say they want everyone to feel safe and be safe, so if anyone has concerns for their safety or becomes aware of any suspicious behaviour, they should call 111 immediately.