Seven police vehicles surrounded the car

The three were acting out a scene using toy guns near a bank in the Crossgates area.

Police were alerted and officers using seven vehicles and their helicopter followed them to Woodhouse Lane.

As they slowed for traffic lights, the students were stopped at gunpoint. But they were released without charge after offering their explanation.

Gangster film

The students - Graham Gallery, 19, Christian Blyth aged 24, and 20-year-old Alex Eamonson - are all on a multi-media technology course at Leeds Metropolitan University.

They explained to BBC News Online that they were making what was supposed to be a trailer for a gangster film at about 1930 GMT on Tuesday near the Arndale Centre in Crossgates.

"Unfortunately we happened to be near a bank," said Mr Blyth.

He added: "We later saw a couple of police cars following us but didn't think much of it at first."

Toy shop

In Woodhouse Lane, the students were ordered out of their Ford Fiesta and made to lie on the ground before being handcuffed.

After his release, Mr Blyth said: "The guns we had were from a toy shop but they did look real."

Mr Gallery said: "The worst part was when I looked out the car window and saw a policeman shouting at me."

Visibly shaken, the three apologised for the trouble they had caused.

West Yorkshire Police said they had to take the incident seriously and had no way of knowing a real robbery was not taking place.

A police spokeswoman said after receiving reports of a possible robbery, armed officers followed the students into the city centre before stopping them outside the BBC building in Woodhouse Lane.