TWO Worcester schoolboys playing "army" in the street ended up in the back of a police car after sparking a security scare.

Balaclava-clad Matthew Reynolds and friend Tom Barnes, both aged 12, were honing their sneaking skills around Britannia Square in Barbourne when police picked them up.

The boys, who were in full camouflage gear complete with SAS insignia, also had a plastic toy gun to make their game more realistic.

"We were sneaking around, hiding from people and running around until we got tired," said Matthew, a pupil at Bishop Perowne High School.

"When I saw a police car had pulled up, I came out of hiding. If I didn't I thought the policeman would have a right go at me.

"I asked the policeman if we were in trouble and he said no, so I didn't feel scared."

Police escorted the boys back to Matthew's Brewery Walk house off The Tything.

Later, Matthew's mum Sam said she understood why police had taken them off the street.

"The children found it highly amusing. It was all very tongue-in-cheek," said his mum.

"I couldn't believe it when Matthew turned up at the door and said: 'Mum I'm home and I've brought the police with me.'

"The officer said, in this day and age, the boy's attire could scare some of the residents. The children weren't doing anything naughty. I would never let Matthew go outside with a gun that could fire something.

"It's like giving a machete to a chimpanzee.

"I think the police were right in doing their job and I can understand it from their point of view.

"I think they also understood it from the children's perspective in that they were just having fun."

Even though Matthew and Tom have had their military training curbed around the streets of Worcester this hasn't dampened their enthusiasm for the army.

"When we have the careers fair in Year Nine I'm definitely going to go for the military," said Matthew.