POLICE have apologised to a family whose home was raided by armed officers after a toy rifle was mistaken for a gun.

Officers, reportedly armed with semi-automatic weapons, stormed the Trimbos family flat in Rosselyn Court, Hamstead, in north London on Monday evening.

Police were responding to reports that a youth had been seen in the flat with a "firearm".

John Trimbos and his 15-year-old son were handcuffed and led out of the flat, according to the Evening Standard.

"My initial reaction was that a drunk or a drug addict had broken in and my first thought was to grab a heavy object to protect my family," Mr Trimbos said.

"Thank God I didn't because it only takes one trigger-happy cop.

"Words can't describe the feeling of seeing guns trained on your chest and your family."

The flat was searched, but all officers found were a BB gun and some plastic pellets.

The embarrassing gaff comes just weeks after a Muslim man was innocently shot by police in an anti-terror raid in Forest Gate.

A police statement said: "We were called at 18:15 Monday 19.6.06 to an address in Rosselyn Court, NW3, to reports of youths seen at a window of the flat with a firearm.

"One of the youths was seen to point the gun out of the window.

"Armed police attended the address and forced entry to the premises. Those inside were called out and the flat was searched.

"A replica rifle was found and no further action was taken.

"We apologised to the family for any distress caused at the time who seemed supportive of the action taken."

A police spokeswoman said no official complaint had been made.