Youths threatened Bestwood shopkeeper with a gun

Armed officers immediately attended the store in Beckhampton Road, Bestwood, after Nottinghamshire Police received a report that three youths had been causing damage in a shop. One of them was then said to have flashed the shopkeeper with a hand gun when he challenged them before they ran off.

Three youths, aged 13, 15 and 17, were quickly located nearby and detained on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. The imitation weapon was also recovered.

Chief Inspector Paul Hennessy said: "Firearms officers were instantly dispatched to the scene and very quickly located three suspects and recovered a weapon, all three remain in custody.

“Although we believe this was a blank-firing, non-lethal weapon it would certainly have looked very much like a real handgun. This would have been an extremely alarming incident for the victim and for anyone who saw it. Imitation firearms can be indistinguishable to live firearms and we will always take them very seriously when we find them.

"The victim has been left shaken but thankfully was unharmed and, although incidents like this are incredibly rare, we will always treat them with the utmost severity.

"Reducing the availability of firearms and taking guns off the streets is a priority for Nottinghamshire Police. Over the last year firearm discharges have reduced across Nottinghamshire whilst the number of illegally held firearms seized by us proactively has increased.