A CROSSDRESSING clown who robbed a rural village store has been jailed.

Thomas Prodger terrified staff when he entered the Co-op store in Middleton-in-Teesdale store, County Durham, clad in a dress and clown mask at 9.20pm on September 21.

Prodger, of Jubilee Terrace, Middleton-in-Teesdale was today (November 18) sentenced to 20 months in jail after pleading guilty to robbery at Durham Crown Court.

Judge Christopher Prince handed down the sentence along with a restraining order with conditions that included not to enter the Co-op until further notice.