Former Premier League striker Marcus Bent reveals the bizarre story behind how he was TASERED after 'wildly' raising a meat cleaver and kitchen knife at armed police while hallucinating after taking cocaine

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Marcus Bent has revealed the bizarre story of how he was tasered at his Surrey home when he greeted police officers with a meat cleaver and kitchen knife while hallucinating after taking cocaine.

The 41-year-old enjoyed a lengthy 16-year career at the summit of English football.

Bent scored 40 goals in 214 Premier League games, enjoying spells at Everton, Ipswich, Charlton and Wigan among other clubs.

Marcus Bent was tasered at home after greeting police with a meat cleaver and kitchen knife

Bent scored 40 goals in 214 Premier League appearances and enjoyed a spell at Charlton

Bent pictured arriving at court with his girlfriend in February 2016 on charges of affray and possession of a class A drug

But now he has opened up about his off-field problems and specifically one night in September 2015.

Bent called Surrey Police one evening because he believed somebody had broken into his apartment. Three police officers arrived at first and, although there was no answer, they could hear him inside calling for help.

Three firearm officers then arrived and were about to force entry before Bent appeared at the front door wearing just a pair of trousers and wielding a meat cleaver and a 15-inch kitchen knife.

Bent was tasered and later taken into custody. After searching his residence, police found nobody inside but did find a small amount of cocaine.

'I was paranoid and I was hallucinating. I felt there were people in my house. I remember thinking the door handle was moving,' Bent has now explained in an interview with The Athletic. 

Bent signed for Everton from Ipswich in June 2004, helping them into the Champions League

After moving to Charlton, Bent joined Wigan on loan in August 2007 and scored seven goals

He left Charlton permanently in 2008, signing for Birmingham on a three-year deal

'I called the police and I picked up something to defend myself. When the police came, I went to the door with these knives. If I think back, obviously I should have put the knives down but I wasn't in a good way. So, of course, they were terrified — someone who's on drugs, someone who's paranoid, with two knives.

'They tasered me and I think you know the rest. But I remember going into the police station and actually feeling secure and safe. "I'm locked up now. No one can get me". That's how my mind was at that time.

'Then, the next morning, there was talk of me being charged with attempted murder. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. At no point was I ever going to take someone's life. I called them because I was hallucinating, paranoid, terrified.'

Bent admitted he had 'hit rock bottom' and the incident made him 'acknowledge what I was doing and what my responsibilities were'. 

Bent, who has now been drug-free for nearly four years, saw his career at the top of English football come to an end in 2011 when he was released by Birmingham.

He then moved to Indonesian side Mitra Kukar on a one-year contract but was released soon after.