Angling shop owner Pat CooperUNDER SIEGE: BUSINESSES forced to close when armed police units took over a Trowbridge street were left counting the cost of lost trade.

Trowbridge's oldest firm James Long Masons Ltd were stopped from trading for the first time since 1780, leaving bosses with a £1,000 wage bill and a host of unfinished orders.

Managing director Jason Willcox had to send 14 employees home when police cordoned off the Timbrell Street premises.

Mr Willcox said it was not the first time the firm had been hit by disruption.

"Six months ago we had a bomb scare but we have never in our history had to close all day," he said.

"We had to complete a memorial stone by Wednesday for a South African woman whose son died in a car crash a year ago. We worked through the night to get it done.

"I went to one policeman and asked him if I would get any compensation and he said I should ask about his pension at the same time.

"Where do companies go for compensation when something like this happens?"

Dental receptionist Carole Williams was left clearing up an administrative mess after 70 patients had their appointments cancelled.

Colemans Dental Practice was sealed off by the time Mrs Williams arrived at 8.45am, leaving her little time to warn patients.

She said: "I was escorted in to leave a brief message.

"We had a new dentist supposed to start that day so it was very embarrassing.

"The next day we had 40 messages on the answer phone.

"It was very disruptive. I have never seen such a hive of activity in all my life.

"There were armed officers everywhere."

Angling shop boss Pat Cooper said she lost out on a vital day's trade.

Mrs Cooper, who runs Wiltshire Angling with her husband Paul, said many shop owners were left in the dark.

"They did not evacuate the flats opposite so I am not sure why we were not allowed to trade.

"We couldn't even check the fridges where we store live bait. They would have been screaming if maggots had been coming out of the front door.

"We do hear a lot of police activity around this area but this was quite shocking.

"We were originally told it could go on for days."

Pub landlord Steve Harris, 43, had his premises turned into a makeshift police headquarters and media centre as the siege intensified.

Mr Harris, who runs The Crown, received a personal thank you from Wiltshire's chief constable Dame Elizabeth Neville for his hospitality.

He said his pub was inundated with senior officers, detectives and journalists as the siege continued throughout the day.

"We were in bed when the cleaner woke us up about 7.45am and said CID were at the door," he said.

"They asked if we would mind opening the pub for use as their temporary base as some officers had been up all night.

"Elizabeth Neville came in on Monday evening and thanked us which was a nice touch.

"We were a bit out of it here but it has been the talk of the locals."