A suspected gunman who threatened two people was arrested on the beach in a village popular with tourists.
The man, in shorts and camouflage jacket, was spotted by an ambulance crew wielding a firearm on Saturday morning.
It brought armed police, backed by a dog unit and a helicopter, to the unspoilt resort of Charmouth on Dorset’s Jurassic coast.
The suspect, in his 50s, was detained for a firearm offence and a weapon was recovered.
Detective Inspector Rhys Griffiths, of County CID, said: “This incident sparked a large police and emergency service response and I understand that it will have caused great concern to those members of the public who were in the area at the time.
“No one was injured during the incident, and we would like to thank the local community for their patience and assistance while we brought this matter to a safe conclusion.
“I would ask anyone who witnessed this incident and has not yet spoken to officers, to please contact Dorset Police so we can investigate this matter thoroughly.”
