‘Firearms incident’ in Lerwick

A man has been arrested following reports of a firearms incident in Lerwick.

Residents were told to stay in their homes and traffic in parts of  Lerwick ground to halt as police acted on reports that a gunman had been spotted in the town.

It comes after reports earlier today that a man with a weapon had abandoned a small boat in East Voe near Scalloway.

Householders in Fogralea, Nederdale and Murrayston are being advised to stay indoors and motorists are being told to avoid the south road in Lerwick as police deal with the incident.

One commuter caught up in the traffic said the area was “completely clogged”.

He said: “There are a lot of police cars and vans with the police lights flashing around the Westerloch junction.”

It is understood firearms officers have been flown to Shetland by helicopter to help the local force deal with the incident.

Another eye-witness said police were maintaining a strong presence at the first turn-off for Gulberwick on the south road.

“There are vans of police dogs and a big van with police, with helmets. They look like they’ve got guns and have got all their protective, bullet-proof vests.

“They closed the road between Tesco and where the Clickimin Loch is. They closed there, so I had to go round through the houses and I got to the top and the traffic was jammed as well. There were lots of police”