DETECTIVES have warned gun owners they could face armed police if they take their firearms out in public.

The warning follows an extensive search for an armed man who was spotted at Goring Hall Hospital, in Bodiam Avenue, Worthing, yesterday.Armed officers and dog handlers spent more than an hour searching for the man, who was seen carrying a rifle in the hospital grounds at 1.45pm.

The police helicopter was also involved in the search of the Fernhurst Drive area of Worthing, but nothing was found.

Police are linking the incident to another on Sunday when three men were seen with a gun in the woods close to Goring Gap.

Police officers found a target on a tree and airgun pellets nearby and bllieve the man seen at Goring Hall was also carrying an airgun.

In a separate incident, a motorist reported being shot at by youths firing an air pistol at cars crossing New Bridge, Littlehampton, last Thursday evening.

No one was injured but PC Chris Saunders, spokesman for Highdown Division, said the incidents are being taken very seriously, particularly in the light of Tuesday's killings at an American school.

He said: "What does concern us in this day and age is that people are willing to go out with guns."

He added that it is an offence to use an airgun in a public place or to carry a loaded airgun in a public place.

He said: "If anyone is seen with a gun we will respond appropriately and these people could be faced by armed officers."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.