Armed officers stormed a packed commuter train as part of a search for a man who was thought to be carrying a gun, it has emerged.

Police were alerted to a 'suspicious man' who got on a Southeastern train at Tonbridge station just before 5.30pm yesterday.

A dozen officers boarded the train when it reached Ashford half an hour later but were unable to locate him.

Passengers said the man is thought to have got off the train at Paddock Wood, the station after Tonbridge.

The station has connecting services which operate to Maidstone and Strood via the Medway Valley.

An eyewitness told KentOnline: "The train stopped short of the station for around five to seven minutes at a red light.

"Once at the station the train was boarded by a number of armed police and more were walking down the platform.

"After 10 minutes we were told the incident had been resolved and the train moved away."

Railway staff told anxious passengers that the hunt was sparked after a suspicious man boarded the Ramsgate-bound train at Tonbridge.

A police spokesman said: "We received reports of a suspicious male boarding a train at Tonbridge.

"As part of their inquiries, armed officers were authorised to search a train when it reached Ashford International station.

"No-one matching the description was found and inquiries are ongoing."