US election 2016: Trump rushed off stage by security

Republican candidate Donald Trump was briefly rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents at a rally in Reno, Nevada in a false alarm.

A man holding a sign saying Republicans Against Trump was tackled by security agents, after claims that he had a gun.

Mr Trump returned to the stage minutes later.

The Republican candidate says he is going to target states seen as Democratic strongholds ahead of Tuesday's election.

He is set to visit Pennsylvania, Michigan and also Minnesota, which has not voted Republican since 1972.

On Saturday evening, Mr Trump had stopped speaking at the Reno rally after seeing something in the auditorium.

He was grabbed by two agents, who rushed him off stage, while the protester was held down and searched.

When he resumed his speech, Mr Trump said: "Nobody said it was going to be easy for us... I want to thank the Secret Service."

The Secret Service later confirmed that someone in front of the stage had shouted "gun", but that "upon a thorough search of the subject and the surrounding area, no weapon was found".

Austyn Crites, the man at the centre of the disturbance, said he was attacked when he brought out his sign.

"I keep repeating - I'm down, someone is trying to choke me - and I'm saying to these people; 'There is no gun, I just have a sign'," Mr Crites explained after the incident.