A man who armed himself with a butane firelighter to frighten staff and customers at Costa Coffee in Market Street, Shipley, had to be restrained by police yesterday.

A witness said the unkempt and unshaven man in his fifties ordered a coffee then produced a half bottle of vodka which he used to top up his drink. He then became abusive to the female staff and when asked to leave he began shouting and waved a yellow handled long-stemmed gas lighter in the air. Police were called and the man was handcuffed before being guided to a marked car.

A West Yorkshire police spokesman said: “Officers were called to the Costa Coffee at about 10.15am and the matter was dealt with in under ten minutes. The man had become abusive and was shouting and had produced a gas lighter.”