A man has been arrested after he was found with a 15in machete on a train.

British Transport Police (BTP) released an image of the weapon with a long, curved blade, which was found during a stop-and-search operation.

Officers drew a Taser during the incident aboard a Greater Anglia Service between Colchester and Witham in Essex.

BTP said the Taser was not used and the man was arrested suspicion of two offences and taken into custody for questioning.

The force’s Essex team tweeted: “This is why #police use #stopandsearch

“This 15in machete was found on a man onboard a train tonight between @greateranglia #colchester & #witham in #Essex

“Our officers boarded the train, detained the man for a search and found this.

“Taser was drawn but not deployed.

“Needless to say the man was arrested on suspicion of 2 offences and is currently in custody.”

The incident comes amid concern over a rise in violent crime in London and England’s major cities.

The number of homicides in London reached 128 in 2018 – according to PA analysis – the highest level in a calendar year this decade.

Earlier this month Lee Pomeroy, 51, was stabbed to death after an argument with another passenger on a train between Guildford and London Waterloo.

In the wake of the killing BTP Assistant Chief Constable Sean O’Callaghan insisted that travelling by train “is still an extremely safe thing to do”.