A child clutching what looked like a machete while clinging to the back of a Brighton bus was holding a plastic toy, police say.
The video was posted by the I’m Just Brighton Instagram account on Sunday, showing the boy on the back of a 79 bus as it travelled up North Street.
Brighton and Hove police posted the clip on its Facebook page asking for help identifying the boy.
It now says it tracked down the lad – a 14-year-ld from Brighton – and paid him and his parents a visit.
Police said: “Thank you to anyone who came forward with information in response to our post about a video of a person holding onto a moving bus in Brighton yesterday.
“We have identified the person in the video – a 14-year-old local boy – and visited him and his parents to provide words of advice.
“We can confirm the item he was in possession of was a plastic toy; not a knife.
“Our investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the incident is ongoing.”
Bus drivers are often not aware this is happening at the time, but those responsible can be identified from CCTV afterwards if it’s reported.
Anyone seeing anyone doing this was then asked to call 999.
Bus surfing…an action where nothing can go wrong. Nope. Not a single risk. Silly boy.