Karen Osenton was pulled over by the police after she waved a water pistol to promote her show at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Members of the Abandon Theatre Company were in a Ford Fusion promoting their sketch show A Night on the Town when police stopped their vehicle on the city's North Bridge and warned them they could be mistaken for terrorists.

Karen, 25, from Kings Sutton, near Banbury, pictured, on the far right, with the group, said: "We were waving four-inch green water pistols and the police said we could be mistaken for terrorists.

"I think they over-reacted - the water pistols came from a toy shop. The police soon wiped the smile off our faces when they said we could have to spend a night in the cells.

"One of the officers said there could be acid in the water pistols and added that Gordon Brown lived down the road.

"I think they went a bit over the top. People dress up in all kinds of gear during the Fringe.

"There are people walking round as spacemen or carrying swords and knives. You would have thought they would be used to it by now."

Also pictured with the offending water pistols are, from left, Lorraine Jennings, Anneala Doyle and Catherine Campbell.

Abandon Theatre has a resident show at the Landor Theatre in Clapham, London.

Ms Osenton, whose parents David and Kath live in Kings Sutton, said: "I always have a great time in Edinburgh and this is the first time this kind of thing has happened to me."

Abandon Theatre's director, Deon Newbronner, 36, said following the incident on Tuesday: "This policeman should be thoroughly ashamed of himself and he owes them an apology."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said the officers could have charged the girls with a breach of the peace but instead just issued "words of advice".