Armed Police have descended on the sleepy village of Luccombe amid an ongoing firearms incident, which has seen the Police helicopter scrambled from Surrey.
More than half a dozen specialist officers from both sides of the Solent are involved in the operation, which focuses on a small hamlet of properties between Shanklin and Ventnor.
Local response officers have locked down the area, preventing pedestrian and vehicular access.
The National Police Air Service helicopter from Redhill is circling overhead to keep visual on an address at the centre of the incident.
It’s thought that the operation began at around 13:00, with Armed Police from the mainland rushed across the Solent at 13:30.
UPDATE @ 15:24 – The operation appears to be winding down, with Armed Police and a dog unit seen to be leaving the village.
Some of the authorised firearms officers have responded back to Ryde, thought to be going back to the mainland.
The NPAS helicopter has also stood down.
UPDATE @ 15:54 – Island Echo understands that reports of an elderly male with a gun in the vicinity of Bracken Dell sparked this afternoon’s emergency response.
A male has been arrested and taken into custody for questioning.
UPDATE @ 17:19 – Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has confirmed the arrest of a man in his 80s.
Read more at https://www.islandecho.co.uk/man-in-his-80s-with-a-firearm-arrested-in-luccombe-armed-police-drama/.
