WAR re-enactors sparked a police alert today when members of the public reported seeing uniformed men with guns at the Lockmeadow market site in Maidstone.

Armed police were sent to the area at about midday and a warning was sent to shops and businesses in Maidstone town centre via the Storenet system.

A police spokesman said that on their arrival at the scene, officers discovered that the men were carrying out a leaflet drop to advertise a military event at the Kent County Showground.

A police spokesman said: "If there is any kind of suspected fire arms incident with any sort of risk we would always respond with armed officers.

"It appears that there may have been a Vietnam re-enactment going on there. Afterwards they started to hand out leaflets advertising an event at the weekend.

"It would be incredibly helpful to know about these things in advance so that we can tell people what is going on."

Adrian Westwood, a spokesman for the organisers of 2001 - A Military Odyssey, being staged at the Detling showground this weekend, confirmed that a US Army Jeep had been sent to the Lockmeadow complex and that a uniformed re-enactor portraying US General George Patton was handing out leaflets.

He said that as part of his costume the actor may have been carrying a fake gun.