Armed police went to draw their weapons after a youth worker pointed a cap gun at one of them on a Bradford street, a Court heard.

The officers told a jury it was impossible to tell the weapon was not real and went into their offensive 'self-arming procedure' in the heart of Manningham, close to where children where playing.

After the firearms team shouted warnings at Kadir Hussain, he dropped the toy and later told them he was just "messing around".

Prosecuting at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, Philip Standfast told the jury: "You may think that this was a very dangerous joke, not only for Mr Hussain but anyone else in the area at a time when these police officers were considering drawing and firing their guns."

Mr Standfast said the uniformed officers, PC Paul Smith and PC Steven Lyle, were in a marked police car conducting a search when they spotted 25-year-old Hussain holding a small black handgun on Lumb Lane.

Armed with Glock pistols, they approached him close to Peel Square and a playing field where children had gathered, the court heard.

PC Lyle told the jury he saw Hussain point the gun at his colleague and added: "I immediately released the retention clip and made moves to withdraw the firearm from the holster."

Mr Standfast asked PC Smith: "Where were you in relation to the barrel of that gun?"

He replied: "Basically I was at the end of it. It was pointing towards me."

He added: "I placed my hand on my pistol that was in the clasp and made a verbal challenge to him."

PC Smith said he shouted for Hussain to drop the gun and repeated: "Do it now."

Hussain, 25, of Peel Square, denies a charge of possessing an imitation firearm with the intent to cause fear of violence on April 20 last year.

The court heard Hussain had no criminal convictions and had been involved in community work including a traineeship with the Inner City Youth Team. He had obtained various NVQ qualifications in areas such as crime prevention and now worked as a learning mentor at his former school, Belle Vue Boys.

He insisted he had been examining his nephew's broken cap gun when he saw police talking to some youths by the roadside.

He admitted shaking it to fix it, but added: "I had no intention of pointing the gun at any person. I had no intention of putting any person in fear of anything."

Hussain said PC Smith had shouted, "Do you want me to shoot you? Do you want me to shoot you?" - an allegation the officer denied.

And he said he was assured he would get a caution if he accepted he had been 'silly'' and apologised.

Hussain's barrister David Taylor said he would submit references from people including Bradford West Labour MP Marsha Singh.

The trial continues.