A 62-year-old man was arrested in Bewdley after strange conduct on a February afternoon, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Edmund Wade was armed with a 4ft-long stick as he walked through the town centre hitting out at road signs, said Paul Whitfield, prosecuting.

He also hit two pedestrians on the back of their legs and also struck two customers in the local Co-op store. It was obvious he had been drinking and he also had a catapault.

Wade, of Riverside Caravan Park, Ribbesford, Bewdley, pleaded guilty to affray and was given a 12-month community order with supervision by the probation service for a similar period.

Richrd Hull, mitigating, said Wade had already spent four months in custody and had been sent to a psychiatric unit.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC said it was essential that Wade received treatment for his mental illness. He took no action on a criminal anti-social behaviour order when the prosecution offered no evidence.