Scared mums in gun drama

Aug 21 2007 By Patrice John, Birmingham Mail

A MAN carrying a gun and a knife near a mother and baby store in Birmingham was arrested by police in an armed swoop.

Panicking mothers fled with their children from Mothercare, in the Pavilions, as police and security guards surrounded him.

The alarm was raised at 4pm yesterday at the shopping centre, on Birmingham High Street when guards noticed a pistol had dropped from the man's belt.

A security guard said the man, described as Asian and in his early 20s, scooped up the weapon and tried to stuff it back into his waistband but eventually threw it to the floor and ran.

A security guard watched over the gun while police moved in to arrest the man.

The guard, who did not wish to be named, said officers later recovered a knife the man was also believed to have been carrying.

He said: "We only see someone with a gun once in a blue moon.

"He tried to tell police it was a toy, but you could hear it was clearly made out of metal when he dropped it.

"We followed him into Mothercare and he was up on his toes trying to hide.

"The mums in there all looked pretty scared and they were trying to get their kids out of there as soon as possible."

A police spokesman said the man was today in custody being questioned.

The spokesman said: "Police were called to the Pavilions at 4.05pm.

"A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

"Officers recovered a BB gun and a knife which had been dropped outside the Mothercare store."