A man who sparked a gun scare at a train station was found to be carrying only a garden hose nozzle.
Armed police officers rushed to the scene and surrounding roads were closed after James Stevenson told Scotrail workers he had a 9mm pistol.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard on Friday that Stevenson threatened to shoot himself but later surrendered.
Armed officers then discovered what the 'weapon' he'd been holding really was.
The 32-year-old admitted committing a breach of the peace at Carfin train station on December 22 last year.
Chloe O'Hara, prosecuting, said three maintenance workers saw Stevenson on the platform shortly after midnight.
He told them he had found a gun and refused to take his hand out of his pocket.
Ms O'Hara told the court: "They backed away and contacted British Transport Police.
"Surrounding roads were closed and no trains were allowed to enter the station.
"The accused went to the station's Help Point and told an operator that if he saw armed police or a lot of police he would shoot himself.
"Shortly after this he walked out of the station and shouted 'I want to surrender'.
"He walked towards police officers with one hand in the air and the other concealed in his top.
"He was told to raise both hands above his head and initially refused.
"Police officers retreated a safe distance and the accused sat down on the ground.
"Then officers from the firearms unit arrived. They instructed Stevenson to lie on the ground.
"He did so and was handcuffed. A garden hose nozzle was located next to him."
Defence agent Rowan Myles said homeless Stevenson has issues with alcohol, suffers from depression and is "socially isolated".
The solicitor stated: "I told him that, given an armed response unit had attended this incident, he is lucky to be alive.
"His response was that he has nothing to feel lucky about."
Sheriff John Speir described Stevenson's circumstances as "bleak" and remanded him in custody until November for background reports.
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