A mass brawl in a car park was broken up when a man pulled up in a car and pointed a gun out of the window, a court heard.

The dramatic intervention ended the fight - but also landed Mantas Gadeikis in court.

On Friday, Norwich Crown Court heard that police were called to Copenhagen Way shortly after 3pm on May 16 to reports a number of people were involved in a brawl and one of them was in possession of an imitation firearm - a BB gun.

Isobel Ascherson, prosecuting, said that the fight involved two groups, but it broke up after Gadeikis, 31, appeared in a car and produced the BB gun and pointed it to the ground.

She said his actions stopped the fight and he got back in the car and drove off.

Ms Ascherson said that Gadeikis co-operated with police and told them where the BB gun was, which when seized was found not to be in working order.

They also attended his house in Heath Crescent.

Gadeikis, of Heath Crescent, Hellesdon, who had the help of a Lithuanian interpreter in court, admitted possessing a BB gun in a public place on May 16.

John Morgans, for Gadeikis, said that he was a hard working young man and said: "It was a non-working BB gun, the sort of thing you can buy in a shop in Great Yarmouth."

He said that he was a man of previous good character: "He has been frightened by his experience of coming to the crown court. He is genuinely sorry. It is not something he intended to do."

Judge Stephen Holt said although Gadeikis had not pointed the gun at anyone he had produced it in public and said: "It certainly had the effect of stopping the fight."

He accepted that Gadeikis had co-operated with police and deserved credit for his guilty plea.

"You are clearly a hard-working young man. It appears you now understand how serious this sort of offence is. The courts take very seriously anyone who produces an imitation gun in public."

He imposed an 18-month community order and ordered him to do 100 hours unpaid work.

He was also made to pay £300 costs.