Gunman at bowling alley told 'screaming' customers 'game over'

A man who entered a bowling alley armed with a shotgun held the weapon above his head and shouted "game over" before taking two male staff members hostage.

Dozens of people, including around 20 crying children, ran out of the building "panicking" and "screaming" after the security scare at MFA Bowl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, said witnesses.

Alex Mulholland told Sky News that the gunman was white, with a "greyish beard" and "weird looking".

"He was saying 'game over, game over', everyone shouting, screaming, panicking, trying to get out and I didn't know what to make of it, really," he said.

"I ran, got my things as quickly as I could and get out of there."

After most people managed to leave the bowling alley, they remained outside the premises as they waited for police to arrive.

But about 10 minutes later, the gunman also came out to the front with the shotgun to "make sure everyone was scared and that everyone knew he was there", according to witness Liam Roberts.

A third witness has described how the gunman had a "very aggressive demeanour", was armed with a sawn-off shotgun and was shouting and swearing.

Lawrence Hallett and his family were enjoying bowling at a children's party when a member of staff told him to leave as the gunman was inside.

He said: "One of the staff came up to us and quietly whispered in my ear to leave.

"I initially thought it was a fire alarm or something like that and I said 'What's the problem? We are halfway through a game' and he said 'There is a gunman'."

He told Sky News that the gunman was around 20-30ft away at the "top end of the lanes" with a shotgun slung over his shoulder.

Mr Hallett said: "I thought it was a joke and panicked a little bit."

He and his family then ran "hell for leather" out of the building before the gunman later also came out and started swearing.

The witness said he was not speaking to anyone in particular but had a "very aggressive demeanour".

Mr Hallett said: "We hung around outside for a little while ... we didn't know what to do, what was going on. And he came out and swore and said 'what the heck are you guys' ... unslung his gun and went back in again.

"And at that point we backed off to our cars."

The witness said: "There was no organised withdrawal. There was a guy with a gun."

Mr Hallett added: "We headed for the cars in a bit of a panic", and managed to get to safety at the Bermuda Park retail complex.

He described the gunman as around 40 years old, "rough around the edges" and unshaven.

The chief executive of MFA Bowl, Mehdi Afshar, confirmed two workers had been held hostage.

A few hours later, a series of loud bangs could be heard and then an ambulance was allowed through the police cordon.

The suspect was arrested and taken to hospital, and the two employees were unharmed.

The incident was not terror-related, according to officers.