A supermarket worker was arrested after allegedly carrying an air gun in a Braintree store.

The 18-year-old was arrested on December 22 after reportedly being spotted with an air gun at the Marks Farm Tesco store in Coggeshall Road a day earlier, but was released without charge.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “An 18-year-old man from the Colchester area was arrested on December 22 on suspicion of possessing an air weapon in a public place after an air gun was reportedly seen on a member of staff at Tesco in Marks Farm, Braintree, on December 21.

“No further action is being taken in respect of the air weapon.”

She said the reason for the delay in the man’s arrest was that the incident wasn’t considered to be of any risk.

Tesco declined to comment, describing it as a “police matter”.