A teenager from Basingstoke who was caught with a BB gun will appear in court later this month.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was allegedly caught with the imitation firearm as well as pellets on Southsea seafront at the weekend.

Officers patrolling in Portsmouth were made aware of a boy with the BB gun at roughly 3.30pm on Saturday, July 10.

Police say they stopped and searched him in the Hot Walls area of the city when they located the weapon.

The 16-year-old was charged with possession of an imitation firearm in a public place.

He will appear before Portsmouth Magistrates' Court on July 30.