Reporter has 'gun' aimed at her

A BBC South reporter has had what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon aimed at her while covering a story about anti-social behaviour.

Bournemouth and Poole reporter Emma Douglas was filming in West Howe, in Bournemouth, at the launch of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Respect campaign.

Two youths appeared as she was taking shots of a basketball court and one pulled out what appeared to be a gun.

He then aimed it directly at the camera before running off.

'Toy or real?'

"It all happened very quickly," said Ms Douglas, who recorded the entire incident.

"I was a bit shocked, we are still not sure whether it was a toy or real?"

"I hope it was a toy."

West Howe is one of the government's 40 "respect zones" in England, which will receive extra funding to fight anti-social behaviour.

BBC South has told Dorset Police that it will make the footage available to them in the hope that it will help to identify those involved.