A SALES boss from Whitefield sparked off a major alert when he hurled racial abuse at a bus driver while brandishing an imitation pistol.

Manchester Crown Court heard Terence Ward left Mahmood Quraishi "transfixed" with terror when he got the "Magnum gun" from his silver Mercedes convertible which was blocking the route of the bus one evening last September.

Passers-by rang police, and officers from the Armed Response Unit raced to the scene in Manchester city centre only to discover that the gun was in fact a cigarette lighter.

Ward (39), of St Joseph's Avenue, was jailed for two years after Judge Anthony Ensore told him: "The citizens of this city are very fearful of the use of firearms, whether they are imitation or otherwise".

He described Ward's behaviour towards Mr Quraishi as "appalling and terrifying" and could not be excused.

"It is my duty to let the public know that any brandishing of firearms is something which is taken extremely seriously and those who behave in this way will receive punishment".

Ward admitted possessing the imitation gun during the incident when Mr Quraishi had up to 20 passengers on his bus.

His route was blocked by Ward's car which was parked outside a takeaway in the city centre and Mr Quraishi sounded his horn to attract the driver's attention.

Ward came out of the takeaway and immediately hurled racist abuse at the bus driver before getting the "gun" from the Mercedes, and then spitting on the windscreen of the bus.

Richard Vardon, prosecuting, said Mr Quraishi thought it was a real gun and was terrified, but then Ward drove off and put the imitation gun down a grid, from where it was later recovered.

Police arrested him afterwards and found £20,000 in cash in the car.

Mr John Broadley, defending, said Ward was not a racist and regretted using "emotive" language and was now "making progress" on an anger management course.