Police are investigating claims that a teenager posed with guns and posted racist rants on social media.

A tabloid newspaper today claimed the 17-year-old from King's Lynn, who is a member of a rifle and pistol club, made threats to kill muslims online.

It claimed he owned replica weapons which he intended to convert to live firing and posted 'sinister' pictures of himself with 'an array of weapons'.

A Norfolk police spokesman said: 'We are aware of an article published in a national newspaper today, February 18, involving a male aged in his late teens.

'As a result an investigation has been launched looking into the allegations.'

The Daily Star said the youth's grandmother had told it he was not being malicious and he did not intend to shoot anyone.

She added that he did not require a firearms licence to belong to the gun club of which he was a member.