Police took three days to respond to a 999 call after a Medway pensioner was threatened with a gun.

The force has defended its actions saying the full facts of the incident were not conveyed to their call handler, meaning there were not aware of any threat.

Leslie Carden, 65, went to the property amid an ongoing dispute about noise.

Police took three days to respond to gun threat

The door was ajar and as he claims as knocked it opened to reveal the man lying on a sofa and pointing the rifle at him.

He insists he relayed all that information to the operator when he phoned the police but admits he did wait 90 minutes before doing so.

He said: "At first I didn't call as I thought it would cause more trouble but after I spoke to my wife I thought the police needed to come out.

"At our age this is not the sort of thing we need."

Police says the call log only shows Mr Carden explained he had seen a firearm and does not mention any threat being made.

Mr Carden and his wife Linda, 73, chased up a number of times after the initial 7.50pm call but it was only when they went to Medway police station three days later that officers came out.

Mr Carden added: "They kept saying we were on the priority list but I don't see how three days can be classed as a priority."

When officers did attend the home in Durrell Gardens, Chatham, they found an airsoft gun, which is legal to own.

"At first I didn't call as I thought it would cause more trouble but after I spoke to my wife I thought the police needed to come out" - Leslie Carden

Medway district commander Chief Inspector Rob Marsh said: "Kent Police was called at around 7.50pm on Thursday, June 20 to a report of a man with a weapon inside a private address in Durrell Gardens, Chatham.

"During the call it was established the weapon had been seen approximately 90 minutes earlier, that no threats had been made and the caller was safe.

"Subsequent inquiries, including visiting the address on June 23, confirmed the caller had seen an airsoft gun.

"No offences have been identified."

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