French police arrest man carrying pistol at train station

A man carrying a pistol has been arrested at a French train station near the Spanish border - but police say he isn't a terror suspect.

Police outside the Nimes train station. Source: Twitter / @bleugardlozere

Police in the southern French city of Nimes have arrested a man unlawfully carrying a pistol into a train station, but say he is not linked to the attacks in Barcelona.

After an evacuation and police operation at the train station on Saturday night, the historic city quickly returned to normal, with police returning to their posts.

A national police spokesman said the operation began when a passenger alerted police to a man with a weapon.

Police quickly found and arrested him, said the spokesman, who was not authorised to be publicly named.

The spokesman said the man has no apparent connection to Thursday's attacks around Barcelona, about 380km southwest of Nimes.

French authorities increased checks of its border with Spain after the attacks, and one suspect is believed at large.