Police are investigating claims that a member of staff held a gun to the head of a terrified pupil at a school for children with emotional difficulties.
The man is alleged to have been joking with the male pupil in the common room before the mood turned sour and the adult threatened to kill the boy.
A member of staff is said to have heard the man with the weapon say he had forgotten to check if it was loaded. The man then walked out of the room with the gun with no shots fired and no injuries reported.
Suffolk Police confirmed that a teacher took a decommissioned, antique firearm into Westbrook Tuition Centre in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, to show students.
A spokeswoman added that the teacher was given 'words of advice' and voluntarily surrendered the firearm, but no charges were made.
She said: "Police were contacted by a member of staff at Suffolk County Council on Friday March 8, who had received information from students at an Education Centre in Bury St Edmunds that a teacher had brought a gun into a class.
"The same day, officers were dispatched to speak to the students concerned, who confirmed that an antique gun had been shown to students by their teacher.
"The teacher was visited by officers who searched his home address for any unlawful firearms and questioned him in relation to the alleged offence.
"A decommissioned, antique firearm was voluntarily surrendered to firearms officers for further inspection and words of advice were given to the teacher.
"Officers are in liaison with the school and the Education Authority and an investigation is ongoing."