A MAN is in custody on suspicion of making threats to kill and drug offences after armed police swooped on a train station.

Witnesses reported that police officers closed Station Road, in Westcliff, shortly after 8pm on Sunday night while armed officers received reports a man was armed with a knife.

They then raided a home in the road and recovered a knife, but the suspect was not found.

One witness, who lives in the street and has asked not to be named, said: “It was just by chance really that I looked out of my window and saw about three or four police cars.

“One had pulled across the road so that no traffic could come down.

“There were officers carrying guns which I’ve never seen before so that made me think it must have been something serious.”

Officers searched the area and found a suspect at the nearby Westcliff train station where he was arrested.

The witness, a 29-year-old man, added: “They were there for quite a while but I couldn’t tell you exactly how long.

“I’ve lived here for about five years now and we do get the odd bit of trouble, especially being near the station, but I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We have arrested a man on suspicion of making threats to kill and being concerned in the supply of drugs after we searched an address in Westcliff.

“We received a report that a man had entered a property carrying a knife. We attended and searched the address where we found a large knife, which has been seized.

“We then arrested a 21-year-old man from Poplar at Westcliff train station on suspicion of making threats to kills and being concerned in the supply of drugs.

“He remains in custody for questioning.”

Anyone with information should contact Essex Police on 101.

Alternatively you can contact independent crimefighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org