ARMED police arrested a man on suspicion of drugs and firearms offences after carrying out a raid in a quiet residential street.

Residents in Spencer Gardens, Rochford, were stunned to see police carrying machine guns gathered in their street at about 1pm yesterday.

Witnesses said they approached a house but did not break down the door and after a short while a man came out.

He was arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs and firearms.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “I looked out my window and saw four or five police cars completely blocking off the road.

“There were probably seven policemen with guns standing out there. I thought: ‘Here we go, there’s going to be a shoot-out.’

“I was a bit worried because nobody knocked on the door to tell us what was going on. We still don’t know what it was all about.”

Two cars remained in the street throughout the afternoon and police officers with sniffer dogs were seen at the property.

One neighbour said: “It was very unsettling. This is a lovely street and we never have any problems or not anything more than you would get anywhere else.

“Fortunately it was not too dramatic because as the police got to the house someone opened the door and came out.

“There was no shouting or anything like that. It was quite peaceful considering everyone was running around with guns.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “A man has been arrested after a warrant was carried out at an address in Rochford.

"Officers attended an address in Spencer Gardens at around 1.40pm today.

“A 50 year-old man from Rochford has been arrested on suspicion of possession of firearms and suspicion of possession of Class A drugs.

“He has been taken to Basildon Police Station for questioning where he remains in custody.”