Clown Town Children's Center Called The Police On UK Dad Allegedly For Celebrating Daughter's Birthday

Colm Doherty, a U.K. dad, just wanted his daughter, Cara, to have a happy 8th birthday. And so, at her party, he sang. Then, the police showed up.

According to the Barnet And Whetstone Press, when Cara's mom, Maria, called Clown Town Children's Center to book her daughter's birthday party, she was told there were no more "birthday packages" available. The family decided to celebrate at the play space, with friends, anyway.

“When we arrived the place was virtually empty, and we asked to use one of the empty party booths, and a friendly waitress agreed,” Dad told The Press.

It turned out that the waitress was not supposed to allow them to sit at all. Another employee said the family was not to sing "Happy Birthday To You."

“I thought this was ridiculous and we did have our cake and lit candles, and when this lady came striding over I went up to her and told her not to disrupt my daughter’s party and blocked her way. I understand she phoned the police afterwards," Doherty said.

Clown Town manager Ian Slazenger has a different account of what happened.

"You don’t celebrate a birthday party on our premises unless it is the package you obtain," he told the Daily Mail. But beyond that, Slazenger said he felt threatened by Doherty’s "intimidating behavior."

Happy birthday, Cara?

UPDATE: July 22 -- In the wake of media attention, Clowntown posted a more detailed version of the incident on their website. Here is their account of what happened that day:

POLICE WERE NOT CALLED BECAUSE FATHER SANG HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THEY WERE CALLED BECAUSE THE FATHER SAID WHEN THE STAFF WERE CONCERNED TO ENSURE THAT HEALTH AND SAFETY AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR LIGHTING THE CANDLES AND EATING THE CAKE ON THE PREMISES WERE TO BE BREACHED: "I WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT I LIKE AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, CALL THE POLICE" AND THEN BECAME AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS THE YOUNG GIRL MEMBER OF THE STAFF WHO WAS FRIGHTENED FOR HERSELF!