OLD Etonian Jonathan Clarke sparked an armed police alert on Sunday when he went shopping with what looked like a large handgun stuck in his belt.

A security officer in Tesco, Devizes, followed Mr Clarke as he made his way home through the central car park.

The police were called and an armed response team was soon on the scene.

Meanwhile, 43-year-old Mr Clarke, blissfully unaware of the alarm he had caused, had returned to his home in St John's Mews, off St John's Street.

He said: "The first thing I knew they were smashing in the door. I told them it was only a BB gun I had bought as a present.

"I don't know why I took it with me to the shops. I did not even think about it.

"I think they went a bit over the top. They had armed police and dogs and all sorts here. They're not even going to repair my door."

Mr Clarke has been undergoing treatment at Green Lane mental health unit.

He said: "If anything goes wrong in Devizes, they come to me.

"I took my O-levels at Eton College but I was chucked out for drug dealing."

Police confirmed that at about 11.30am on Sunday they had received a report of a man walking around the town with a handgun tucked in his trouser waistband.

He had been followed by members of staff from the supermarket who kept him under observation until the police arrived.

Inspector Dean Knight of Devizes police said: "I can confirm that, following the arrest of the man, a BB gun has been recovered, but at no time did he use it in a threatening manner towards my officers or any members of the public.

"The two members of staff that initially saw him and kept observations on him until we arrived should be commended for their actions and I would like to thank them for their tenacity."

No action is to be taken against Mr Clarke in connection with the gun, which was seized by police officers.

Ailsa Cuttell, landlady of the Lamb Inn in St John's Street said that her customers were amazed when the police units arrived.