PARK KNIGHT SORRY
A FANTASY knight has apologised after armed police swooped on his stroll in full medieval outfit – complete with sword – around a lake, explaining: “I was simply enjoying a walk in my armour.”
As reported in yesterday’s Echo, history-lover Lennon Thomas, 20, was stopped in his tracks by three gun-toting police officers after families in the park were shocked by his fearsome-looking sword.
Now, following his headline-grabbing antics, Lennon has said: “Sorry – it looks like I might have scared a few people around the lake.”
Student Lennon had pulled on one of his outfits for fantasy role-play games known as “larping” – or Live Action Role Play.
The Dungeons and Dragons fan was trying out the new knight’s outfit when he was met by three police from the firearms unit as he strolled around the lake in St Mellons, Cardiff.
His ungallant halt was caught on camera by a passer-by – as police saw the funny side of his sword-carrying stroll. Lennon was described as being more of a Sir Laughalot than Sir Lancelot.
But he said: “I will admit that I had a lapse in judgement on the sword part, perhaps bringing that wasn’t a good idea.
“I was simply enjoying a walk in my armour and using the time to practise for my hobby.
“I was trying to get used to wearing the armour as it is slightly physically demanding after a while of wearing it.
“I’m simply enjoying my hobby. Life is a lot more fun when you don’t care how weird you are.
“I am no idiot for simply enjoying myself and practising for my hobby – perhaps it was a little stupid of me to bring the sword, as from a distance it does look realistic.”
Lennon, who lives less than a mile from the lake, conceded passers-by were alarmed by his outfit – and even more when he was confronted by armed police.
He said: “I joked to some passersby who saw the incident that ‘if I were in America I would have been shot on sight’. I got a good laugh out of it all in the end.”
The 999 callers had initially feared the mystery swordsman might launch an attack with the 3ft weapon.
The “knight” was confronted at gunpoint – and was shocked to be ordered to put down the toy sword.
Medical technician Mike James, 31, was walking around the beauty spot with his wife Heather, 32, and son Theo, three, when he saw the knight drama.
Mike said: “The whole thing was really surreal – he looked like something out of Assassin’s Creed.
“About five minutes later the armed police turned up, They said they’d had reports of a suspicious-looking person and we knew straight away who they were talking about.
“The armed police were good as gold and even had a picture with him afterwards before letting him go on his way.”
A spokeswoman for South Wales Police later said: “At 3.10pm on Wednesday, we received a report from that a man was seen at Hendre Lakes in Cardiff with a sword.
“Officers went to the scene where they found a young man in fancy dress carrying a toy sword.
“No criminal offences were committed and the man was given suitable advice.”