A MAN accused of wielding a fake gun before firing shots at a group told jurors there was no fake weapon and he was only carrying a torch.

Alan Bumpas of Sunny Side, Benson, denies one count of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.

Oxford Crown Court heard earlier in the trial how the 24-year old was seen by an eye-witnesses at The Street, Wallingford, wielding what appeared to be a handgun while chasing three men.

The 11-year old witness claimed to have seen him fire two shots in their direction which prosecutors claim was a bid to ‘scare them’.

Taking to the witness box as the trial continued yesterday Bumpas told the court how he had chased off the men from his caravan site after they were ‘acting suspiciously’.

He said that he only retrieved ‘a torch’ which he described as black, about six inches and made of plastic, from his caravan before chasing the three men from the site and to the direction of Wallingford.

Explaining why he told police at interview that he had a BB gun and had ‘thrown it in the river’ he replied: “I had been sat there for a little while, I was proper stressed out.

“Getting asked the same questions over and over again. I can’t sit still for that long or answer questions properly...and my brain frazzles up.”

Prosecutors maintain that he wielded the BB gun in an effort to scare the men after reports they had been looking to burgle his caravan.

The trial continues.