Ref. 73185-100ARMED police took 15 hours to act on a tip-off from a resident who spotted a gunman.

A neighbour raised the alarm shortly after midnight on Sunday after spotting a group of men with what appeared to be a handgun.

But an armed response unit was not sent to the scene in North Street, Old Town, until 2pm.

Sgt Richard Moorhouse said that specific intelligence reports had warranted a softly-softly approach and that the safety of officers was an issue.

No weapon was found and no arrests were made but some residents emerged from the ordeal feeling they had had a lucky escape.

They say that armed officers should have stormed the home immediately rather than wait for the intelligence.

And they claimed they were left in the dark as officers failed to keep them informed of events.

Sgt Moorhouse said: "At around 12.30am we received a call from a nearby resident.

"That person said four males were armed with a pistol outside a house.

"We decided not to enter the premises straight away because there were no confirmed reports and no shots were fired.

"Intelligence checks were carried out overnight and acting on that information the armed response unit were called at about 2pm."

"No shots were fired and there was no confirmation of a weapon being seen.

"We acted on both the inform-ation we were given by the neigh-bour and our intelligence.

"Before we could carry out a raid we had to gain a search warrant. This takes time."

Sgt Moorhouse added that the address has been linked to firearms offences in the past, but said he could not go into any further detail.

Onlookers say that the group now confirmed by police to be of Polish nationality emerged from the house in handcuffs.

Sgt Moorhouse said that this is common-practice. "We often handcuff suspects in situations like this where knives and firearms are thought to be involved," he said.

"This is done to protect the officers while they carry out a thorough search of the premises."

South African, Ashley Tryts-man, 26, lives a stone's throw from the house.

Mr Trytsman, who emigrated from Durban two years ago, said: "This is way too long to wait for armed police. They should have been in there straight away.

"South Africa is notorious for long response times but this is ridiculous."

Jason Beale, 33, of nearby Swindon Road, said: "Obviously the person felt threatened enough to call the police in the first place.

"Even if it turns out to be nothing, armed police should have been there quicker."

But Steve Stuart, owner of The Little Film Shop, in nearby Eastcott Hill, defended the action.

He said: "My experience of the police is very good.

"I was threatened with a knife three months ago and they responded very quickly.

"When guns are thought to be involved, the police have to know what they are going into.

"They seemed very calm and professional when they eventually went in."

Kevin Shoesmith