An armed police officer has spoken out after he and his colleagues had to deal with a man holding a gun in Brentwood High Street.

PC Christopher Aldridge and his colleagues Pc Carl Chinnery, Pc Steven Aspinall and Pc Matt Clark, were called to Brentwood high street after reports came in of a man with a hand gun threatening door staff at Eclipse nightclub in Ongar Road.

He has now told of the moment they had to approach and arrest the man, who was later found to be hiding a loaded replica Colt 45 air pistol. 

Pc Aldridge said: “We had been to another job and were travelling in plain vehicles when the call came over the radio.

"From speaking to Brentwood CCTV, they told us the male had concealed the handgun and was heading in the general direction of the nightclub where he was refused entry.

"It was a busy Friday night and we had to be careful not to put the public at risk.

"We managed to get ahead of the man, waited for him to come along the street and took him to the ground "He was arrested and taken to Brentwood police station.

"The end result was part and parcel of what we do on a regular basis and we were pleased to have prevented what could have been a very serious incident.”

The four officers have since been commended for their bravery during the incident, which happened in March last year. 

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said: “These commendations are one of the highest awards at the very top end of policing.

"The officers’ natural modesty belies the fact that they have done something truly remarkable – in terms of their bravery, decisive thinking and professionalism - to receive this award.”