A 60-year-old man has been charged with wasting police time over a hoax 999 call made to Surrey Police.

Surrey Police received a call regarding a fire arms offence from the Merstham area on Wednesday, April 3, at about 8.30am.

As a result, officers were scrambled to the scene to carry out a search of the area and at addresses in Merstham, Crawley and Mitcham. 

Detective Constable Kerry Akehurst, from East Surrey CID, said: "Calls involving firearms are always taken extremely seriously by Surrey police as these require a specific response which includes officers from several specialist units.

"Wasting police time is a serious offence and we will do all we can to prosecute those responsible."

Alec Bristow, of Orchard Avenue in Mitcham, has been charged with wasting police time and is due to appear at South East Surrey Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 23.