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A gigantic Halloween octopus erected on top of Birmingham's Bull Ring shopping centre is proving so scary for some children that is has left them in tears. Parents say that the massive looming tentacles emerging from the rooftops at one of Europe's largest shopping centres is proving too frightening for their kids. Despite being painted bright colours, the inflatable installation sways in the wind and is giving an all too realistic impression of a living creature for some children's liking. Mums and dads have said their little ones have been left "freaked out" and "petrified" as they've took them shopping during half term. Mum-of-two Lisa Howells, 34, of Boldmere, Sutton Colfdield, said: "My four-year-old girl was absolutely freaked out by it and began crying. "I think because it moves in the wind it looked like these tentacles were dangling over us and that an octopus was about to climb over the building "My eldest is nine and he thought it was brilliant but my youngest just hated it and we had to cut through Next just to avoid it because she was so hysterical. "I'm not a huge fan of Halloween anyway and I know its only supposed to be a bit of fun but try telling that to a terrified little girl. "I think the Bullring need to rethink this as I can't be the only parent who has had this experience, you know what kids imaginations can be like." Dad Craig King, 35, also of Boldmere, added: "I actually wanted to go and show them to my kids because I thought it looked really cool, like the Kraken had come to Brum. "But I wish I hadn't because they weren't fans of it at all and were a bit spooked by it. I felt really bad." Other Brummies took to social media with one mum writing: "Do anybody's elses kids absolutely hate the Bullring octopus? My boy cried and wouldn't walk past them. lol" Another put: "Those tentacles are really freaky, it left my little girl petrified. I think its because they move, that she thought they were real." However other residents branded those complaining as Halloween killjoys and urged people to "get a grip". One person said: "Sounds like our next generation of snowflakes are being bred. Get a grip, it's clearly just a bit of fun." Another added: "They are painted blue, green and red - what on earth is that terrifying about that? People need to stop wrapping their kids in cotton wool." A third put: "We can't have anything cool in our city as somebody always moans and becomes offended by it. Jokers." A Bullring spokesman said: "Get your camera ready to capture your evidence of the monsters appearing day and night, as we celebrate Halloween season with something for everyone. "The giant tentacles have been installed this week to celebrate Halloween. "They'll be on the outside of the centre's building on St Martin's Walk in the Halloween takeover zone (alongside the Séance activity) for the rest of the week."