False alarm over gun reports

Stage prop causes public concern

Reports of a man being seen carrying a shotgun close to Lake road in Douglas have turned out to be ill-founded.

Police say they have spoken to the man concerned and the object turned out to be a very lifelike stage prop of a rifle.

The alarm was raised after the man was seen carrying the object protruding from a bag

Officers say there would be no way of knowing that the item was a fake without being close up to it or having an intimate knowledge of weapons.

The object was in fact harmless.

Police are thanking members of the public for being so vigilant and are reminding anyone transporting such objects that they should be properly covered so as not to cause distress.