Halloween is coming and children are getting ready for dressing up as skeletons, witches and ghosts for some spooky but harmless fun.

But some parents are worried the occasion is turning more sinister thanks to a trend for “highly inappropriate” costumes being sold by retailers such as Argos and the Party Pieces business owned by Kate Middleton’s parents.

Parenting website ChannelMum.com has identified what it feels are the eight most “evil” outfits on sale and is asking would you let your children wear them?

The selection includes Jack the Ripper, ‘roadkill’, The Exorcist and Slender Man horror themes along with a couple deemed too sexualised. Topically, there is also a sinister clown outfit targeted at children as young as five.

ChannelMum.com founder Siobhan Freegard said: “Halloween may be the second biggest event for retailers after Christmas – but it should be about having harmless fun not encouraging children to wear horrible and even highly inappropriate outfits.

“Stores have become more responsible on everyday clothing, and dressing up should be no different. There is no excuse for putting profit before children’s welfare.”

The comments follow a survey of 1,434 mums which found nearly half believe costumes aimed at kids are now “too frightening”.

A third say costumes no longer have a traditional Halloween theme but are selected simply to scare, and almost half feel many costumes are “too sexualised for young children”.

As a result, more than two thirds of parents back age-appropriate ratings on costumes.

At least 80 per cent of parents said they would not let their children wear the eight costumes which made ChannelMum's 'most evil' selection.

The video below features comments from parents who were interviewed by the website.

Would you be happy for your kids to wear any of the Halloween costumes featured? Do you think outfits have become too extreme for children? What’s the worst Halloween costume you’ve seen? Add your comments below.