Clown strip-searched at airport

Pc Konk was frisked by airport security staff in his underwear

A children's entertainer dressed as a comedy policeman was strip-searched down to his briefs by security staff at Birmingham International Airport.

Pc Konk, aka David Vaughan, from Shard End in Birmingham, was accompanying 100 disadvantaged children for a charity flight run by Variety Club Midlands.

But a metal clasp in his costume set off the security-check alarms.

He was made to strip down to his shorts and surrender his plastic handcuffs before boarding the hour-long flight.

Children's smiles

He said: "In the lining of my costume was a band and it turns out it was metal.

"When I got to security check-out I had to take my boots off, and my hat off, and my little props I had on me, through the X-ray.

Pc Konk certainly did a great job of keeping everyone at the airport entertained, however he was required to give in his handcuffs in line with national security regulations

Airport spokesman

"As I went through the machine I set the alarm off."

Mr Vaughan was asked to remove his oversized floppy shoes and flashing policeman's helmet and place the bubble-making liquid for his pretend saxophone in a clear plastic bag, before he was allowed on the Thomas Cook plane.

The hour-long charity flight, for disadvantaged children, circled the Midlands on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old children's entertainer said: "My concern was to make sure I got through so I could put a smile on the kids' faces."

An airport spokesman said: "Pc Konk certainly did a great job of keeping everyone at the airport entertained, however he was required to give in his handcuffs in line with national security regulations."