SECOND World War veteran Ronald Potter grabbed a shotgun when he was confronted by three men he thought had been dumping rubbish in a country lane.

He reckoned they had been fly-tipping in field gateways in Hartlebury, near Kidderminster, and refused to reverse his Mercedes when he came face-to-face with their pick-up.

When he pointed the gun at them, they reversed 200yds and called for help on their mobile phone, said William Rickarby, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

Potter, aged 77, of Charlton Lane, Hartlebury, admitted having a firearm with intent to cause a person to fear unlawful violence.

But the gun was not loaded, said his counsel, Nicolas Cartwright.

Potter knew what he was doing with guns, having served with exemplary character in the Second World War and having landed in Normandy on D-Day.

"He wasn't foolish enough to put anything into the barrels of the gun," said Mr Cartwright.

Mr Rickarby said the narrow lane where Potter lived had been used for fly-tipping and he had reported the matter to police.

He was returning home on Thursday, June 21 after visiting a neighbouring farm when he was confronted by the pick-up containing men named Loveridge, Badham and Collett.

The vehicles stopped 6ft from each other and there was a stand-off, said Mr Rickarby, with neither driver willing to give way.

It was only when Potter got the shotgun out of the boot of his car that the pick-up reversed.

Potter told police that he had the gun because he had been out shooting rabbits.

He suspected the men in the pick-up could have been responsible for fly-tipping.

Judge Frank Chapman said Potter, who was an accountant for GKN for 40 years, may have been right in his suspicions but he was stupid to act the way he did.

Potter was given a two-year conditional discharge, ordered to pay £828 costs and forfeit the shotgun.