THREE men firing a replica pistol and pump-action shot gun at each other in the street sparked an immediate response from armed police.

Terrified neighbours sounded the alarm after seeing the trio brandishing the guns in a quiet road in Brockworth.

Armed officers raced to the scene to discover the weapons – reported to be a Glock pistol and a pump-action shot gun – were in fact ball bearing guns.

The men were given a ticking off when confronted by the officers in Fairhaven Avenue at 10.40pm on Sunday.

The three men, aged in their late teens and early 20s, handed over the guns to the police who destroyed them.

But last night neighbours said they were shocked by the incident.

Dennis Shaw, 84, said: "I've lived here since these houses were built in 1976 and I've never seen anything like that."

Sybille Wood said: "I've lived here for 33 years and there's never anything as bad as that.

"We sometimes get motorbikes going up and down, but that's it."

Another resident, who did not give her name, said: "I am shocked. It's mainly elderly people living here. We do get a few problems every now and then, because there's a footpath at the bottom and people walk through, but we don't get guns and pellets."

Gloucestershire County and Tewkesbury Borough Councillor Mike Collins (Lib Dem, Brockworth), said: "I don't know what would ever possess anyone to act like this. It is totally irresponsible behaviour. You can't have people walking around with guns – replicas or not."

Inspector Steve Chester, of Gloucestershire Police, said: "Ball bearing (BB) guns and air pistols sometimes look similar to real firearms and as such can be very intimidating to other members of the public. When used irresponsibly these weapons can cause serious injuries. Some people think air weapons are toys, but carrying and using an air pistol in public is an offence."