ROLAND Hopper will never forget his 11th birthday party - after an armed police team arrested him as he cut his cake.

He had been playing with 12 friends at his home in Red House, Sunderland, as he celebrated his big day.

But as he showed off the new pellet gun his mother had bought him, armed police surrounded the house.

Devoted Sunderland fan, Roland, fired rubber pellets at pictures of Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer, stuck to a target.

The quiet street was sealed off as two armed response patrol cars and a riot van surrounded the house.

Two officers wearing bullet proof vests stormed in and demanded to know where the weapon was.

Mum Andrea Davies, 29, said: "It should have been the best day of the year for him. It was so humiliating for us, I don't know whether Roly will ever be able to forget it.

"Roland went into the back yard with a few of his friends to show them his new gun. But someone must have seen them with it and assumed the worst."

He was questioned for two hours in connection with criminal damage after allegations that a pellet hit the window of a neighbouring house.

But Andrew denied that any damage had been caused to a neighbour's house.

He was bailed to report to police on April 28. and the £39,99 air gun was confiscated.

Sergeant Paul Henry, of Northumbria Police, said: "Whenever it is believed that firearms are involved there are certain procedures that must be followed."