POLICE have launched an investigation into reports that a man was threatened by two people armed with a machete in Bournemouth town centre.

The victim, aged in his 20s and from Bristol, was initially arrested by officers after being seen holding a penknife and running the centre of the town on July 26.

As a result of questioning and a review into CCTV footage of the incident, it transpired that the individual, who was released without charge, was actually fleeing from two people in possession of the long-bladed knife.

A police spokesman said: “Dorset Police received a report at 11.05pm on Monday July 26 of a man in possession of a knife in Exeter Road in Bournemouth.

“It is reported that the man ran off toward the gardens, before being detained in the town centre by officers.

“The arrested man – aged in his 20s and from Bristol – reported that he had been threatened by two people with a machete in the town who he ran away from.

“Officers carried out enquiries into the incident, including reviewing CCTV from the area.

“The arrested man was subsequently released without charge and will face no further police action in relation to this incident.

“An investigation is underway into the report that the man had been threatened with a machete. No arrests have been made.”

Following the initial arrest of the Bristolian man, the police obtained CCTV footage which clarified the circumstances behind the incident.

Bournemouth Echo: CCTV footage obtained by the Bournemouth Daily Echo shows an individual brandish a machete and swing it in the direction of another person

CCTV images acquired by the Echo show a group of eight individuals confront the 20-year-old victim and chase him out of the Square in the direction of the Lower Gardens.

A Bournemouth business owner has called for an increased police presence in the town after dark, and has said the number of incidents, and their severity, in the town centre is “getting out of control".

He added: “A policeman said that there was a boy seen with knife and that he was held in custody.

“They called us up and said that there had been an incident and asked to check our CCTV footage and, low and behold, there is footage of one of them pulling out a machete from his rucksack.

“There are some big gangs that roam around at night in Bournemouth at the moment. We just want the town cleared up.”

This comes as the Prime Minster defended plans to expand blanket stop-and-search powers across the country, insisting it was a “kind and loving” way to get dangerous weapons off the streets.

“It is horrendous that this is happening in Bournemouth,” the business owner said.

“Boris Johnson is going on about carrying out stop and searches. People say that they are unnecessary but, in this instance, you might just save their lives in the future.

“Police are going on about the fact that they don’t want to criminalise them, but parents also don’t want their son coming home with half his head missing.”

“Terrible things are going on in the town at the moment; it is all a bit surreal.”