POLICE used rubber bullets to bring down a gunman "making threats to kill".

The 23-year-old man was reported to be making threats to kill outside a house in Busticle Lane, Sompting, last night.

He was armed with a ball bearing gun and an electric stun gun, police said.

One mortified eyewitness could not believe what was happening.

The man, who did not want to be named, said: “I was in Busticle Lane at about 9pm.

“I was horrified to see the gun on the floor - I didn’t know if someone had been shot.

“Then I saw the stun gun and I couldn’t believe it.

“My heart was in my mouth.

“I couldn’t believe it. This isn’t Brixton, it’s poor old Sompting.”

The witness said he saw scenes of crime officers at the site along with the weapons on the ground.

“Apparently it was a ball bearing gun,” he said.

“It was a metal gun and looked like a real one.

“Goodness knows who is carrying that around.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "Shortly before 7.30pm on Thursday (February 8) police were called to Busticle Lane, Sompting, where a man seen holding a handgun was reported to be making threats to kill.

"The area was sealed off and at 9pm the man, 23, was disarmed using a baton round and arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.”

The man remains in police custody while enquiries continue.

Detective Inspector Alex Lowe said: "If anyone has any information about this incident that may help our investigation I'd ask them to contact Sussex Police online at sussex.police.uk/appealresponse or phone 101, quoting serial 1137 of 08/02."