ARMED police swooped on Kirby Cross following reports of a man being spotted with a gun.

Police had cordoned off Frinton Road, outside the One Stop shop, shortly before 3pm on Thursday.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We were called to reports of someone seen with what was described as a firearm inside a vehicle in Saville Street, Walton, at around 1.20pm.

"The vehicle was located in Frinton Road and a 20-year-old man has been arrested."

The suspect was released on police bail until September 8.

An engineer working outside the shop saw the incident unfold outside the shop

He said: "I saw two big police vans drive down here slowly.

"They slowed down outside the shop and jumped out with guns and shouted 'armed police, armed police, get out of the car'.

"A man sitting in a car outside the shop got out of the car. He looked quite young.

"He was arrested and then more police arrived.

"There were about ten police officers in total.

"It was quite shocking to see. I was just working and the police told me to move back.

"It all happened outside the shop."

A retired police officer, who lives nearby, witnessed the incident.

“I heard tyres squeal and then lots of shouting and I am a former copper so I recognised what was happening,” he said.

“There must have been at least ten police cars and about 20 actual officers, and they were all kitted out with like sub-machine guns.

“They waited for this youngster to get out his car and then these four coppers had all their guns trained on him.

"They had two sniffer dogs go in his car.”