A man suspected of being in possession of a firearm prompted a major police alert in March today.

Police cars swarmed to the town library following reports that a man was in possession of a firearm.

It turned out the man was carrying a replica firearm and he has been arrested and taken away for questioning.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said: "We were called at around 1.25pm to reports of a man with a firearm in March.

"Officers attended and the weapon was found to be a replica. The man has been arrested for offences under the firearms act."

Although it is not against the law to own a replica firearm, it is illegal to carry one in a public place unless the person has justification for doing so

An imitation firearm has been defined as anything that resembles a firearm.

One eye witness said he saw up to five police cars respond to the situation at the library - which coincidentally is only yards from the town's police station.