Essex Police have arrested a man after a stun gun was found during a knife crime patrol.

Officers saw three men acting suspiciously while they were patrolling the Bourne Road area of Colchester as part of Operation Sceptre Essex on the afternoon of Sunday, June 30.

The men ran off and officers detained one of them, an 18-year-old man from the Colchester area.

He was searched while in custody at the police station and was found to have five wraps of suspected class A drugs in his underwear.

A stun gun and gas canisters were also found during a search of an address connected to him.

The man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs, possession of firearms offences and possession with intent to supply psychoactive substances.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Operation Sceptre Essex is a targeted crackdown on knife crime, which includes prevention and enforcement in areas identified as being hotspots for violent crime.

Colchester district commander Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston said: "Our teams are constantly seeking to disrupt criminals who carry knives.

"We are committed to keeping Colchester safe and ask for your support. If you know someone who carries a knife please let us or Crimestoppers know.

"Together we can make life tough for criminals, protect our communities and support people who are vulnerable."

Call 101 or report it online.

Alternatively, contact the Crimestoppers charity 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form.