About 10 minuted later Tom woke again and started screaming. I ran upstairs and found him sitting up with the buttons of his sleep-suit opened again. Thinking he was too warm I took him back downstairs and was just about to take his sleep-suit of him when the phone rang again. It was Elaine checking up again and telling me she would be home within the hour. She heard Tom crying and asked me what was going on and had he not settled since the last time. I quickly told her what had happened and assured her that Tom was OK and I thought he was afraid of the clown in the corner of the room.

Elaine suddenly went quiet and I thought she had got cut off. Just as I was about to hang up I heard mumbling. Then very quietly Elaine told me she was on her way home. I told her not to be silly that everything was OK. She asked me where Tom was and i explained he was in his playpen in the kitchen. She asked me to go and get him and bring him to the phone. I said OK and thinking that all this was very odd I went and got Tom and came back to the phone. I picked up the receiver and told Elaine that I had Tom and asked her was she OK.

She told me very calmly that I was to listen carefully and not to panic. I suddenly got very scared at what she was going to tell me. I could hear talking but was unaware at what was being said. I suddenly snapped out o my trance and heard Elaine calling my name. I told her I was listening and then she began telling me that she was on her way home and wanted me to get out of the house but to do so very quietly. I got very confused and asked Elaine to explain what was going on. She then explained that she was on her way home as we spoke and also that the police were on their way so to get myself and Tom out of the house.

I asked again what was wrong and then she said something to me that I will never forget. She told me that there was no clown whatsoever in Tom’s room or anywhere else in the house. I dropped the phone, grabbed my coat and as quietly as I could I opened the front door and ran out. I wrapped Tom in my coat and ran to the neighbours house. Just as I was rapping the door the police pulled up and seconds later John and Elaine. I ran over to their car and the police burst into their house. Minutes later they came out with a man in handcuffs. It was the clown. It turned out he had climbed in the window to Tom’s bedroom. I’m just glad Elaine rang when she did because it doesn’t bear thinking about what would have happened if she didn’t. Since that day I have never babysitted again and at this stage I don’t think I ever will. It still sends a shiver down my spine…..