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A film student mistaken for an armed robber by a PSNI armed response team, told Belfast Live: “I thought I was going to get shot dead."

Police officers raced to a burger bar in Co Derry, thinking it was being held up by an armed and masked man.

An eagle-eyed member of the public had raised the alarm when she saw a group of people in the middle of what turned out to be a movie scene.

Thinking they were dealing with a real-life crime in Portstewart, the PSNI arrived within six minutes of her call and ordered the nonplussed director to the ground with his hands in full view.

The third-year student at Coleraine University said: “I looked at the cop in disbelief. He just kept shouting, ‘Get down, get down on the ground and show your hands. Do it now. Do it now..'

“The cop kept yelling and all I could do is keep saying, ‘Don’t shoot. We are media students, we’re making a film. Don’t shoot, don’t shoot'.

“I repeated it over and over again but he didn’t seem to be hearing me. He seemed hyper, the adrenaline was obviously flowing and I felt he was out of control or at least close to it. I felt I was in real danger.

“I thought I was going to die. Today I am still shaken by the whole thing and the idea of what could have happened is haunting me.

“It was the most terrifying moment of my life. The look in the officer’s eyes was scary.

“A police officer I know said that when the adrenaline kicks in, that’s when mistakes can happen. So I feel pretty lucky to be alive today."

Two armed response PSNI officers raced to reports of a masked and armed robber holding up the burger bar at 9.30am.

A police spokeswoman said: “A concerned member of the public reported an armed robbery in progress at a take away on The Promenade in Portstewart.”

The student spoke to Belfast Live and he explained how his final exam turned to a near-death experience when he approached the wary cops.

He said: “The burger bar was happy for us to use their premises and I’d asked the council if we needed special permission to film in the town and they said no.

“My film exam piece is a short movie about a superhero who puts himself between a robber as he shoots the women he loves who works in a restaurant.

“I had bought the die cast gun on Amazon but I never thought about alerting the police and no one at the university mentioned it either.

“There are other students working on similar projects about the Troubles and they haven’t been advised to instruct the PSNI either.

“We were in the Burger Club filming and it was great fun. We were waving at the public who were curious about what we were doing and peering through the window.

“We had a group of actors in the restaurant, a camera on a tripod, a boom and a boom pole so it was pretty obvious we were filming.

(Image: Mark Jamieson)

“But then I saw the police turn up and I went outside to say hello. I put down the camera assuming there wasn’t a problem but suddenly one of the cops started screaming at me."

The final year student remained on his knees with his hands in the air while the police officer’s partner calmed the situation.

He said: “I thought I was going to die yesterday. And today I am still shaken by the whole thing and the idea of what could have happened is haunting me.“

The police left and the toy gun we were using was left with us. I have it here today and I can barely look at it.

”The student who has worked on The Fall and Games of Thrones, plans to work as an assistant film director when he qualifies. But now his exam results may be in peril because of the police intervention.

He said: “The film is not finished to my liking because we had to stop. The team was terrified.

“The actors did their best but we were not able to concentrate on what we were doing after it was over and the police had gone.

“We only had the burger bar for one morning and the light was going too when we eventually finished, so I don’t think I have what I need for a good grade.

“This film amount to 33% of the final score for my degree and now I’m worried it’s all messed up and after three years, I could be failed.

“All my career plans could be ruined and I don’t know what to do.

“When I walked back into the restaurant after the police left yesterday, I saw the toy gun on a seat and I just shuddered.

“I may make a movie about this one day but for now it’s all too real and I am trying to get my head around what happened.”

PSNI Chief Inspector Catherine Magee said: “Police responded quickly to the report, arriving on scene within six minutes.

“Attending officers witnessed a man wearing a balaclava and brandishing a handgun inside the premises.

“Officers approached and the man was ordered to put the weapon on the ground.

“It subsequently transpired that the scenario had been staged by some local students and the situation was quickly de-escalated.

“The call from the member of the public was genuine and made in good faith, believing that an armed robbery was taking place.

“The officers involved responded professionally and appropriately, as I would expect them to, given that this was a report of armed robbery with the potential risk to life and property such a report implies. Their focus was, as always, keeping people safe.

“I have been in touch with the university today and hope to have an informal chat with some of the students involved later this week.”

The student has been ordered to a meeting at with the PSNI and university chiefs tomorrow.

A Ulster University spokesperson said: “We are aware of the incident in Portstewart yesterday and are working closely with the PSNI. The University plans to conduct a full investigation.”