Police in Cape Coral, Florida challenged the pair after complaints from the parents of their alleged victims, who were not injured, WINK-TV reports.

The boys confirmed that they had sprayed the silly string at the other children and were subsequently given notices to appear in court on charges of battery.

An ice cream shop worker who witnessed the incident told WINK-TV that she thought it was “a little excessive to have to appear to court”.

However, Cape Coral police spokesperson Cpt Phil Mullen said: “You shoot something, anything, even something as harmless as silly string, get it in somebody’s eye, cause harm – the potential is there so just think about what you’re doing.”