A man who was arrested at Buckingham Palace after being found in possession of a Taser-type device has been released without further action by the police.

The man, who was visiting London from the Netherlands, was detained as he went through security scanners at the visitor entrance to the palace at about 12.45pm on Sunday. He was arrested on suspicion he was carrying a firearm and taken to a central London police station to be questioned.

When the man was arrested, the Metropolitan police stated the incident was not thought to be terror-related.

He was released later that evening after police were satisfied he posed no threat. His possession of the device, which was low-powered and part of a keyring, was described as a “genuine error” on his part.

A Met spokesman said: “Officers are reminding visitors to the United Kingdom to ensure that any items that they are carrying comply with legislation in the UK. This includes small knives and personal Taser-type devices, both of which may be considered offensive weapons or in breach of strict UK firearms laws.”