Half inspired by the ghoulish spirit of Halloween and half by the recent revelation that HuffPost UK Lifestyle's (seemingly normal) desk buddy is petrified of toothbrushes, we set out to find the weirdest phobias.
A quick poll of the office unearthed a lot of irrational fears that have before now been kept firmly under wraps. Some, such as a fear of clowns, are more commonplace but others, including pastry, loose hair and the sound of velcro, are just bizarre.
Are these the weirdest phobias ever? Let us know in the comments below and feel free to add your own to the slideshow.