Uk police officers are apologetic today after using a stun gun to subdue what they thought was a dangerous, sword-wielding man and was actually a blind individual carrying a cane.

The officers say they were responding to numerous reports of a man walking through Chorley armed with a large Samurai sword and mistakenly used the weapon on 61-year old Colin Farmer, who is also a stroke victim. His white cane threw them off, they said.

“It then became apparent that this man was not the person we were looking for and officers attended to him straight away,” said Chief Superintendent Stuart Williams in a statement.

The officers then attended Farmer and sought medical attention for him.

“I certainly didn’t know they were police – and I certainly didn’t know they were shouting at me. I thought I was going to be attacked by some hooligans,” Farmer later said.

Officials say another man was eventually arrested in connection with the sword complaints.