A gun-toting man dressed as a cowboy was Tasered by police in front of railway passengers.

Commuters watched in horror as armed police rushed a crowded train at Norwood Junction, pointed a gun in his face, before grabbing the man dressed in a long coat and hat and tazering him “between five and seven times”.

Harold Gerber, 47, of South Norwood, who was sat just metres from the police target on Tuesday November 14, said: “He was quietly singing to himself, had the cowboy hat on and a long trench coat. I didn’t think he was doing anything wrong - I would say he was more care in the community than a threat.”

Police were called to the station just before 11am to reports a man had a gun.

The train was held at the platform and evacuated before the man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting police and possession of an imitation firearm.

Mr Gerber said: “I saw them coming from another carriage. The guy had his gun pointed right at me and was shouting to put my hands on my head. I was terrified. I haven’t been able to sleep since. They could have come on in plain clothes and scoped it out. If he had been carrying a real gun it could have been carnage on a full train like that.”

Left shaken by the incident Mr Gerber, who was travelling to Charing Cross to attend a job interview, visited South Norwood Police station to complain later that day but was told to leave his number and be contacted.

He said; “I think it is terrible. I just want a form to put down my complaint but they have fobbed me off every time.”

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Armed officers responded to a call from a member of rail staff at Norwood Junction station to reports of a man on the platform waving what appeared to be a pistol around and shouting.

When police arrived the man had boarded a train which had been held at the station.

Officers boarded the train and made their way through the carriages to the male suspect who had his hands in his pockets.

The suspect moved forward towards the officers whilst shouting and refused to remove his hands from his pockets.

Attempts by the officers to physically restrain him failed so they deployed Taser. The man was Tasered a number of times but this seemed to have no effect. /p>

Eventually, officers were able to physically restrain the man and he was removed from the train and into the custody of British Transport Police.