ARMED officers were called to a street in Melksham after reports of a man brandishing a gun.

The incident occurred at 7.36pm last Wednesday when a woman said a man had pointed a gun at her on Bank Street.

Police searched a house in Bank Street and recovered a replica handgun. A 22-year-old man has been cautioned for the offence.

Sgt Glenn Bremner, of Devizes police, said realistic imitation firearms were an increasing menace to the public.

He said: "The replicas are so good now that you can't tell the difference. People are buying these and thinking they are toys but they are coming on to the street with them.

"This man was not aware of the distress and the alarm that he caused by carrying it in an open place and the member of the public did the right thing to get in touch with the police.

"In reports such as this it would be normal to despatch an armed response unit because we don't know whether the firearm was real or not.

"The message we will try and get across is that people who go out and buy these weapons and then play with them in the street leave themselves open to prosecution."