American Horror Story season 4: Teaser pictures offer fans first look at Freak Show characters

Ryan Murphy’s critically acclaimed supernatural series will be returning with a new spine-chilling tale set at a carnival in the 1950s

American Horror Story veteran Sarah Paulson plays conjoined twins Dot and Bette Tattler (Fox)

The new series of American Horror Story is only a few weeks away but already the anticipation is building.

Ahead of the new fourth season, entitled Freak Show, we take a look at this year's colourful characters.

Creator Ryan Murphy’s horror anthology series features a recurring cast, who take on different roles in a different story each season.

The forthcoming season is set in 1952 at a carnival in Jupiter, Florida and follows a troupe of "curiosities" from one of the last remaining freak shows in America.

The group are put under threat after an evil force pervades the town they are performing in.

American Horror Story veterans Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson and Emma Roberts will be among the familiar faces returning to the show.

Season four will also feature the smallest woman in the world Jyoti Amge, who plays Ma Petite, and American Beauty and Hunger Games star Wes Bentley as the sinister Edward Mordrake.

Murphy, who has also created Glee and Nip/Tuck, has received critical acclaim for his series.

This year the show picked up two awards at the Emmys for season three, American Horror Story: Coven.

American Horror Story: Freak Show will be airing in the US on 8 October and 21 October on FOX UK in Britain.