An American holidaymaker accidentally sparked an emergency response after he was spotted with a blade in public without understanding UK laws.

A number of police officers descended on Hampton seafront, near Herne Bay, amid reports of a man listening to UB40 armed with a kitchen knife.

But when officers quizzed the suspect it emerged he came from a US state where gun-carrying is commonplace, and so had armed himself for general protection, KentOnline understands.

A police spokesman said: “Officers attended and a man, who is a US citizen and was on holiday in the area, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife.

“In interview, the man made a full admission to possessing the knife in public and explained he had not understood UK law around possession of weapons.

“The knife was seized and, following consideration of the circumstances, the matter was dealt with by a community resolution, during which the law was fully explained to him.”

Officers were called to the Hampton area of Herne Bay following a report from a concerned passerby.

A picture shows the dramatic moment four officers arrived at the scene at 10.30am last Thursday, where a dogwalker happened across the bizarre incident.

“It was quite strange,” they told KentOnline. “I was just walking the dog along the seafront and saw a man relaxing on the grass verge listening to UB40 on his phone.

“I carried on walking and when I turned around, I noticed a police car at the bottom of Swalecliffe Avenue and two police officers talking to him.

“But then another two officers arrived.”

The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either four years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

In the UK, it is illegal to carry most knives or any weapons in public without a ‘good reason’ or sell most knives or any weapons to anyone under the age of 18

The exception to these two rules are folding pocketknives that have a cutting edge no longer than three inches, or are not lock knives (they do not have a button, spring or catch that you have to use to fold the knife).