ARMED police were on standby in Corsham after a 72-year-old man with mental health problems was seen parading around his house with an air rifle last Thursday evening.

The Corsham man gave himself up to unarmed police and was arrested at 9pm for threats to kill.

"He was not a danger to anybody else but himself.

"The police were not unduly concerned for the safety of anybody else," said PC Andy Fortune of Wiltshire Police.

The man's wife had gone to their local surgery to tell doctors that she was concerned about her husband's safety, said PC Fortune.

The police received a call at 5.35pm from Social Services saying the man was in his house with an air rifle and bullets.

"Fire arms advisors were contacted and they met the fire arms units at a forward rendezvous point," said PC Fortune.

Police contacted the man on the phone and then two unarmed officers entered the house to arrest the man.

"He was calm and collected when he was arrested by officers," said Sergeant Deborah Ashley of Corsham Police Station.

There was nobody else in the house and an air rifle was found with bullets on the property.

The firearm units did not enter the house. They were on standby in case they were needed.

The man was charged with threat to kill on Friday and was released into the custody of an escort.

He now has to attend a hospital on a voluntary basis.

"He was fit for interview and he had been examined by a doctor," said Sergeant Ashley.