Clowns get a bad rap when it comes to campy characters that have a tendency to scare people. Sure, they can come across pretty creepy, but it takes attention away from other notable entries to the genre. Top of the list here is mascots. Having some poor guy dress up and prance about in an anthropomorphised suit has produced some abominations over the years, and various examples have probably given kids just as many nightmares as their red-nosed cousins.

Case in point are the official mascots for the Halifax Oyster Festival in Canada, which give off a distinctly Tim Burton vibe. If you’ve ever eaten an oyster or even just seen one in real life, you’ll probably have gathered that it’s hard to turn it into a cutesy, photogenic character that people can take photos with, à la Disneyland. That being said, little could prepare you for the pictures shared by Amy Langdon on Twitter, showing a pair of fake shellfish that it will be hard to forget in a hurry. It’s not a shock that people were quick with the jokes  — here’s hoping that the food made it worth the trauma.