ARMED police swooped on a Southampton pub after reports of man with a gun.

Police were called to the Red Lion Pub in Bitterne Precinct by staff, who said a man had a handgun.

A witness, who asked not to be named, said: “There was something that kicked off down there on Friday night. 

"There were armed police outside the pub with machine guns and talking to them, they said there was a possible sighting of a gun.

"They were all down there by the church and there about six or seven of them."

A Wetherspoons spokesman said a doorman witnessed a man dropping what appeared to be a gun in the pub's garden.

The spokesman added: “We can confirm that a male customer dropped what appeared to be a gun in the pub’s garden.

“This was witnessed by a member of door staff who attempted to pick it up.

“The male who dropped it picked up and then left.

“A second member of the door staff team called the police and two armed response officers arrived at the pub and looked at the CCTV in order to get a description of the man, and interviewed the door staff.

“The police were very complimentary about the pub team and the door staff and the manner in which the incident was handled.”

A 29-year-old man was later arrested at the Robin Hood pub on South East Road on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, but was later released without charge.

A 30-year-old Southampton man was also arrested at the Robin Hood pub, and was later charged with possession of a loaded/unloaded air weapon in a public place.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire Constabulary said: “We were called at 7.02pm on Friday 30 June to a report of a man believed to be in possession of what had been described as a handgun near the Red Lion Pub, Bitterne Precinct.

“Specialist offices were deployed to the area and carried out a search.

“A BB gun was seized."

Earlier this year The Red Lion pub held a grand reopening after a £1.6million revamp. You can see the photos from it in the gallery above.