Armed police officers were called to New Malden yesterday evening after a member of the public mistook a delivery driver's PDA for a gun, in the area around Furniture Village in Kingston Road.

The Metropolitan Police said this morning that armed officers were called at 5.26pm, but found no gun and were stood down. A spokesman described it as "an honest mistake".

A Kingston police spokesman said: "We deployed armed officers last night to reports of a man with a gun. Turned out to be a delivery driver with a PDA!"

The Met spokesman said: "Police were called at 5.26pm on Thursday, July 28 to Kingspark Business Centre, Kingston Road, New Malden.

"A member of the public reported a man was in possession of a firearm. Officers, and firearms officers, attended the scene.

"Enquiries, including CCTV, revealed that the man was not in possession of any weapon. No offences were disclosed."

The scare came on the same day armed police raided a home in Smallfield, near Gatwick, precipitating a lengthy standoff.

One worker at the centre, who did not want to be named, told this website: "It was terrifying. I was in the office, I heard somebody banging on my door very violently and loudly.

"I shut my window and locked my door because it was quite frightening. Next minute I looked around and saw the police. I couldn’t fault them, we were told what was happening. I could see everything from outside my window."