Police have warned they will prosecute timewasters after receiving a potential dud call last week.

Officers were called to the town centre on Wednesday July 10 after being told a man had been threatened by another man with a gun in McDonalds.

A 21-year-old man was identified and arrested in North End but when police tried to make further contact with the alleged victim they couldn’t find them.

The man was released later that day without charge.

DC Yasser Akhtar from Croydon CID said they still wanted the caller to come forward if the incident did happen but warned timewasters can face police prosecution.