A security guard claims he is being victimised by police after armed officers arrested him on suspicion of burglary - for carrying his laptop computer.

Marc Ashdown says he was yards from his Long Ashton home after walking back from his girlfriend's house in Brislington when he was stopped and handcuffed by officers from Avon and Somerset Police.

He then spent more than five hours in a police cell in Weston-super-Mare before being released without charge.

The self-employed security guard says it is not the first time he has been stopped for no reason by Avon and Somerset police.

Back in 2002, he claims he was stopped 33 times by officers in less than three months, although the 28-year-old says he does not have a criminal record and has never been in trouble with the law.

In the latest incident, he was cuffed, bundled into the back of the car and taken to Weston-super-Mare police station at 12.30am.

His fingerprints and a DNA swab were taken before he was locked up.

Despite having a receipt for the £600 Samsung laptop he bought in Currys the week before, it took police until 5.30am to release Mr Ashdown.

He has not been charged with an offence, police have confirmed.

Mr Ashdown said that upon his release, he was told he would have to order and pay for a taxi to take him on the 20-mile journey home.

It was only when he rang police headquarters in Portishead to complain that an officer was dispatched from Nailsea station to collect him.

While waiting, Mr Ashdown says he discovered that he had been released from custody into a deserted reception at Weston-super-Mare police station, where both fire exits and the main front door were all locked shut, preventing him from getting out.

Mr Ashdown has now filed a formal complaint against the officers who arrested him and has accused Avon and Somerset police of victimisation.

He told the Bristol Evening Post: "I've been offered no explanation or apology for why I was arrested.

"I had done nothing wrong, unless walking down a road with a laptop computer inside a carrier bag is now considered a crime.

"This is not the first time the police have picked on me in this way and I've had enough.

"They are refusing to remove my DNA and fingerprints from their files and I will no longer tolerate being targeted this way by the police. I am considering taking legal action.

"I left my girlfriend's house at about 11pm on Monday night to walk home and I was nearly there when the unmarked police car drove past me.

"I couldn't believe it when two officers jumped out and handcuffed me. When I questioned what they were doing, they accused me of resisting arrest."

Police officials refused to comment on any of the details of Mr Ashdown's arrest and subsequent treatment.

Force spokesman Steve Game said: "A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and was later released without charge.

"Any complaint made will be formally investigated and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."