THE parents of a teenager with a life-threatening brain tumour have spoken of their anger after he was arrested at gunpoint during a drugs raid.

Bronson Honeyman, 15, of Bishop Auckland, and a second man were stopped during an armed police operation  on the Aycliffe Business Park, in Newton Aycliffe, on Wednesday (March 26).

The teenager, who has had a cancerous tumour for five years, was held for more an hour in Darlington Police Station before he was released without charge.

Now his father is taking legal advice regarding action against the police.

However, Durham Police insisted last night that the actions of its officers were appropriate and carefully planned.

The teenager's father, Peter Honeyman, 36, of Dene Valley View, in Bishop Auckland, said: “Bronson was in a truck which was leaving my business at about 1.30pm.

“They were surrounded on St Andrew’s Way by eight cars full of police officers with guns. They pulled him out of the truck and arrested him for drug offences.

“There was an officer on a tannoy shouting at them to get onto their hands and knees. Bronson was on the floor and they had their guns pointed at him.

“There were police dogs and a police helicopter overhead. Bronson wouldn’t hurt a fly and he doesn’t get into trouble.

“I went over and said that my son is disabled. An officer grabbed me from behind and slung me into the road and said he didn’t care.

“The only drugs they found were Bronson’s medication which he takes daily and which he had with him."

Mr Honeyman, who has three other children John, Olivia and Annette, added: “Bronson likes getting into the trucks but this has shaken him up and I think it will give him nightmares."

The youth was taken into custody at 2.10pm and was released at 3.30pm after a police doctor decided he should be released on medical grounds.

He was bailed until Wednesday, April 30.

Chief Inspector Andy Huddleston, of Durham Police, said: “We take the deployment of firearms officers very seriously.

“As a result of information received the situation was assessed by senior officers as requiring a firearms response.

“This was completely appropriate in this situation.”

* A 22-year-old man was arrested during the raid. He will face a charge of theft and dangerous driving at South Durham Magistrates Court on Friday, April 11.