Panic spread through a town centre pub after a punter drew a 'gun' and began waving it around.

Armed police swarmed on The Druids Arms in Earl Street, Maidstone just after midnight on Saturday after reports of a man with a firearm.

Customers were ushered away from the courtyard of the venue where five-piece group Contraband had been playing a gig.

Lead singer Kerry Lawrence, 41, spoke of her horror after spotting what looked like a black hand gun being waved around by a member of the audience.

She said: "It was very frightening for everyone who saw it. The man pulled this gun out and was dancing and waving it around in the air. He appeared to be pretty drunk.

"It happened during our very last song. We got one of the guys to alert the bar staff and continued playing so we didn't create a panic.

"We went on instinct because we didn't know what might happen and we didn't want things to escalate.

"After we finished we were able to leave the stage and helped people inside to safety, the police turned up very quickly.

"The atmosphere was calm, I'm not sure how many people realised. The staff were great.

"I've never experienced anything like it, the police said it was very rare for something like that to happen."

A spokesperson for the Druid’s Arms, said: “As a well-run pub with a trouble-free past we were shocked by this unusual incident.

"Thanks to the support of our neighbouring businesses and the quick actions of our team, we were able to contain the situation and for our customers it was business as usual.”

A 28-year-old Ashford man has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Aleksej Mironov of White Willow Close in Ashford appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court today and must be at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, October 9.

He remains in custody.