A man was sprayed with an incapacitant by police when he locked himself in a Maidstone cafe during a stand-off after narrowly avoiding passers-by with his car.

Pedestrians were forced to jump out of the way when a car was driven down Union Street and Week Street before pulling up outside the Munch House in King Street.

Several police cars and a riot van went to the cafe.

The muddy man, who was wearing no shoes, ordered a breakfast of bangers and mash and paid with his credit card before locking the cafe door.

Cafe worker Laura Castle said: “The police were telling us he was driving down Week Street and they called for back-up because of what happened in Westminster.

“He came in at 8am to order some breakfast and said he would come back in 20 minutes to put some socks on because he was barefoot.

“He was wearing smart trousers and a smart coat but he was muddy.”

The man parked the car and took refuge at the cafe while shouting at police officers through the front door.

Miss Castle, 29, said the sockless man repeated he was not armed and said he only wanted to eat his morning meal of sausage and mash.

"The police were telling us he was driving down Week Street and they called for back-up because of what happened in Westminster" - Laura Castle

It happened at around 8am last Thursday.

Miss Castle, who has worked at the Munch House for 14 years, said: “From what the police told us he drove down the pedestrianised road and people had to jump out of the way.

“He was shouting at police, shut the door and then opened it again to shout at the police before a policeman put his foot in the door.

“He kept saying he owed us £20 but we had never seen him before.

“He ordered sausage and mash with onion gravy and kept saying he just wanted to eat.”

The restaurant was closed as police carried out their investigations and reopened later the same day.

Police arrested a 27-year-old man from Beckley, Oxfordshire, on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

He has since been released pending further investigations.