ARMED police staged a full-scale search of east Wellington yesterday evening, Tuesday, December 2 after a woman claimed there was a man in the street outside her home with a gun pointed at her.

The alert came at around 5.20pm after a woman dialled 999 claiming a male covered in blood had knocked on her door, claiming to have been shot.

The woman later stated that she could see a man in the street with a gun with a laser sight and was shining the laser on her.

As the WWN went to press, about 20 officers from the Avon and Somerset Police Firearms Response Unit, a number armed, were involved in the incident in Gay Street in the town.

Sgt Stuart Bell, in charge of police in Wellington, said: "An armed containment was initiated in an area of east Wellington and an armed sweep of the area was completed.

"As a result of enquiries, a woman, the original caller to the police, was arrested for wasting police time and was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act."

He added: "This was a serious incident that demonstrated a quick and appropriate response from Avon and Somerset police.

"We are thankful that this was not a real incident, however all incidents of false and malicious calls to the police and other emergency services are treated very seriously."