PEOPLE who carry realistic-looking BB guns in public risk confrontation with armed officers, the police has warned.

In recent months, Thanet Police has received numerous reports of people carrying and using soft air guns and imitation firearms.

Although none have sparked an armed call out, officers are concerned that someone may get hurt or killed in the future.

Sgt Gordon Etheridge said: "The number of reports we have been receiving of people carrying and using soft air guns and imitation firearms in public is very concerning.

"Most soft air guns are not toys. They can cause serious injury when fired at people and could be mistaken by the public and police officers for real guns.

"Armed police officers are highly trained and skilled people, but some soft air guns and imitation firearms are so realistic-looking that they struggle to tell the difference between them and a real firearm."

Sgt Etheridge added that parents should think twice about allowing their children to use soft air guns.

"There is no plausible reason for anybody to be carrying these guns in public. They cause fear, particularly in the current climate," he said.

He said the purchase of soft air guns is legal, but carrying and using them in public is not and the offence can lead to up to five years in jail.