Police storm train in Deptford after man’s umbrella mistaken for samurai sword

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Police stormed a packed train in response to reports there was a man on board carrying a samurai sword – only to find it was an umbrella.

Ray Brown, 22, was carrying a novelty umbrella with a handle resembling the hilt of a samurai sword on his journey to work when British Transport Police stopped the train.

Mr Brown, who runs fashion blog Tha Ballinest, told the Evening Standard about six police boarded the train at Deptford station and walked past him several times before noticing his umbrella handle.

He credited the police for being “very professional” when they inspected his umbrella before deeming it harmless and leaving the train to continue its journey.

The digital creative added he thought passengers were more wary after the stabbing at Leytonstone Tube station on Saturday, which is being treated as a terror incident.

He posted a picture after the incident on Twitter, which was re-tweeted over 6,500 times by amused social media users.

Mr Brown said he completely understood the police’s actions and tweeted: “I should’ve listen to [Google] they told me it weren’t gonna rain lol [sic]”.

A British Transport Police spokesman confirmed the incident on Tuesday: “We were called at 10.30am on Monday, 7 December, following reports of a man carrying an item which looked like a sword on a train travelling towards Deptford.

“Officers met the train at Deptford station and spoke to the man. The item was found to be an umbrella and no further action was taken.

“While this incident turned out to be a false alarm, the report was made in good faith.”

A similar incident took place in Scotland on Tuesday, where police closed a stretch of motorway near Glasgow after being alerted of a "possible bomb" belonging to a bus passenger. It was later discovered the "suspicious item" was an innocent e-cigarette.