Three boys were arrested when armed police stormed a town centre after sightings of a suspected handgun.

Around a dozen children were forced onto the floor in Maidstone town centre after concerns were raised by a member of the public.

Video of the incident in Week Street shows multiple armed police and constables next to Wendy’s restaurant and Fremlin Walk at around 6pm on Sunday.

The group of youngsters were told to get on the floor, with their arms behind their back, while officers searched them.

Three black imitation handguns were seized as a result.

A police spokesman said: “Kent Police was called to a report from a member of the public that several people had been seen in an alleyway near Fremlin Walk, Maidstone, who appeared to be in possession of a firearm, described as black handgun.

“Officers, including firearms officers, attended the area and three teenage boys were arrested in Week Street.

“A number of items were seized, including three black imitation handguns. The suspects were later bailed pending further investigation.”

The swift police action resembled similar scenes not far away in the same street back in April when two young girls were arrested and water guns seized near KFC.

This time, the force came under fire from some passersby who claimed they were “heavy handed” and over the top.

Trevor Galloway, 56, witnessed the event and said: “They got the teenagers to get down onto the ground, hands on their head and obviously there were armed police there with big, semi-auto guns I think, walking around.

“It went on for a while. It was kind of obvious there was nothing serious happening.

“After a couple of minutes you could see teenagers being compliant and doing what they were told but they didn't ease up at all.”

The computer programmer, of York Road, added: “It looked as if the police were over-dramatising it.

“The teenagers were well dressed and seemed eloquent. They seemed normal and not street urchins, they seemed respectable. It didn't seem right.

“Passersby were shouting at them that they were kids and the public weren't worried at all. Nobody was really impressed with how the police handled it.

“I thought it was bit odd. To me it's wrong, I know they've got to cover all bases but they should have figured out quicker nothing was going on.”

One woman in the video can be heard telling the police their treatment of the youths is “disgusting”.