A man carrying out DIY repairs to his floorboards in Croydon has discovered an assault rifle believed to be an AK47.

Police were called to a home on Warwick Road, Thornton Heath, at 6.05pm, by a man who found the weapon while carrying out renovations under his floorboards.

The gun was taken by a firearms officer and is undergoing forensic analysis to establish if it is genuine and has been used in a crime.

Police are also investigating previous occupants.

Detective Sergeant Kenny Windsor, from Croydon CID said: "Thankfully it's not every day we get a discovery like this.

"We've taken the firearm in for analysis to check if it is genuine.

"We'll also be making enquiries to establish if it is linked to any previous crimes, and to try and find out who might have put it there, although it appears that the item has been under the floorboards for several years."