An American air hostess was arrested at Rome's Fiumicino airport on 23 June after Italian border police discovered a revolver and ammunition in her hand luggage.

The 60-year-old flight attendant – identified only by the initials JJ – had been about to board a US Airways flight to Charlotte in North Carolina but was apprehended during pre-flight security measures after officials became suspicious of her behaviour.

The police found a disassembled 40-calibre SIG Sauer revolver in her carry-on bag, along with 40 bullets, of which five were discharged.

The woman told the police that she had brought the gun to Rome from the US. She was subsequently arrested for possession of an unauthorised firearm and taken to Civitavecchia prison pending an investigation by the local prosecutor's office.

Tests are also being carried out on the bullets to ascertain when they were fired.