London Gatwick Airport railway station was quickly closed today after reports came in of a man carrying firearms boarding a train.
Services halted on Friday afternoon after authorities were alerted of the incident, with eyewitnesses saying a man boarded a train to Brighton carrying a firearm this afternoon.
The emergency services were called to the scene and officers discovered a man carrying two imitation firearms and was detained.
The train station was evacuated, but airport services are thought to have been unaffected.
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British Transport Police are now investigating the incident.
In a statement, they said: “We received a report at 12.45pm on 20 February of a man on board a train from Brighton with a firearm.
"Sussex Police officers met the train at Gatwick Airport, and arrested a man in possession of two imitation firearms. BTP officers are investigating.”
London Gatwick airport wrote on X at 1:37pm: "Due to an ongoing incident, train services are currently not stopping at Gatwick Airport.
Gatwick train station has now reopened after a man carrying two imitation firearms was apprehended by police
| GETTY"Passengers should check services before travelling and leave more time to complete their journey."
The trains station has now reopened, but undoubtedly the incident has caused delays to people travelling to and from the airport.
National Rail has warned passengers to expect delays on the Gatwick Express, Great Western Railway, Southern and Thameslink services.
An eyewitness of the event took to social media, writing: "I am on a train the 13:16 to Littlehampton and the train manager made the announcement about 15 minutes ago saying someone had a gun on a train at Gatwick."
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Despite the incident at the train station, it is reported the airport is unaffected
|GETTY
Another eyewitness wrote on social media: "I was there when they brought in the K9 dogs."
This incident comes after the Huntingdon train attack on November 1 last year, where panic ensued at the train station after a man attacked people on a high-speed train with a knife.
Ten people were taken to hospital, nine of which were reported to have life-threatening injuries.
Anthony Williams, 32, was charged with 13 counts of attempted murder in relation to the incident and it is reported he is not being treated in a psychiatric hospital.
It was reported earlier this month in the Daily Mail that Cambridge Crown Court was told Anthony Williams had been judged by a psychiatrist to be psychotic and unfit to plead to the charges he faces.
Gillian Jones KC, defending Williams, told the court on February 4 that he has been transferred to Rampton Hospital, near Retford, Nottinghamshire.
She said he is "currently not fit".
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