Ian Poulton, 33, was arrested after more than 15 armed officers wearing bullet-proof vests and aiming machine guns at him swooped on a quiet street in Telford, Shrops, in May this year.

Police were alerted after residents reported seeing a man with a weapon tucked into the waistband of his trousers. He was said to have been threatening Jose Luis Candelaria, his neighbour.

But the operation took an unusual turn when officers discovered Poulton was actually in possession of a sexual appliance.

Poulton was jailed for five years after he admitted possessing an item which had the appearance of a handgun with intent to cause fear of violence at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

He also admitted assaulting Mr Candelaria, causing him actual bodily harm.

Jailing Poulton on Wednesday, Judge Robin Onions told him: "It was clearly not a gun, be it imitation or real. It was an entirely innocent object. It was the defendant's intention to deceive. Witnesses thought it was a firearm so he has to take the consequences."

Poulton, of Wellington, Shrops., also pleaded guilty to separate charges of causing criminal damage to a police car and laptop and aggravated vehicle taking.

He was also banned from driving for three years and made the subject of three restraining orders.

Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, said shortly after 2pm on May 22, witnesses thought they had seen a man carrying a gun.

When armed police arrived minutes later and arrested Poulton they seized the weapon which they discovered was in fact a "sex aid", a court heard.

Speaking at the time of the incident, West Mercia Police said: "A member of the public reported to us that a man had been seen with a firearm in the Hall Gardens area of Hadley.

"Any reports of firearm incidents are taken seriously and we send resources according to the anticipated threat level."