The traditional British bobby, unarmed and policing with the consent of the public, remains the envy of forces around the world.

But times are changing.

The number of occasions Sussex officers were sent out with guns went up 90 per cent to 353 last year.

Police say they are responding to what is happening in society. There was a 30 per cent rise in the number of gun-related crimes in the same period.

Armed responses still constituted only a tiny percentage of the thousands of times officers were called into action.

Figures have fluctuated and there have been steep increases followed by decreases over the years.

Let us hope last year's were just a blip.

British police carrying guns are not what the public wants, or what the world expects.