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Sussex
Armed police hunt trio after officer threatened in Hove
Armed police are searching an area of Hove for three men after an officer was threatened with a gun.
The officer was flagged down by a motorist who said he had seen a man with a machete in the subway of Aldrington railway station.
When he went to investigate he saw three men, one holding a machete. A second man threatened the officer with a gun, a Sussex Police spokesman said.
When the trio fled the officer gave chase but lost them.
Armed police searched the area and a helicopter was scrambled. Two nearby secondary schools were told to keep pupils indoors.
The alert came at about 1145 GMT, Sussex Police said.
The motorist flagged down the officer who was in a patrol car at the junction of Sackville Road and Coleridge Street.
He said he had seen a man holding a machete in the subway of Aldrington railway station.
“Start Quote
End Quote Ch Supt Graham BartlettThe search for these three men continues”
The police officer radioed the force and went in the subway where he saw a man holding the machete before the other man pulled out a handgun and threatened him.
After the three fled, the officer chased them through the subway and into Old Shoreham Road from where they could have taken three routes. It is not known if they escaped by car.
All three men were described as black, with two wearing dark hooded tops and tracksuit bottoms.
Firearms and local officers searched for the men and high-visibility patrols were put in place near the schools - Blatchington Mill and Hove Park - and in the local area.
Pupils were kept inside the buildings with police officers present, but Ch Supt Bartlett said there was no threat to the children's safety.
'No gun' claimLater, the schools were advised they could return to normal but officers were remaining at the sites throughout the day.
Ch Supt Graham Bartlett said: "The search for these three men continues. However, due to the lapse in time and the high police presence in the area we believe the initial threat no longer remains.
“Start Quote
End Quote Janet Felkin Head teacherYour children are safe and are behaving exceptionally well”
"Residents and school pupils are advised that they may continue with their day as normal."
He said intelligence work was continuing and officers would remain in the area.
A spokeswoman for the force said armed police went to the scene to support local officers, but could not give the numbers of officers involved.
Earlier, Janet Felkin, head teacher at Blatchington Mill, a secondary school and sixth form college, posted a statement on the school's website.
She said: "An incident is being followed up by the police. They are searching for three men who are in the Hove area.
"As a precaution they have asked that we keep our students in the building.
"I am being kept regularly informed and I will keep you informed via this website.
"Your children are safe and are behaving exceptionally well, considering they are missing their fresh air break. I hope you can make it up to them when they tell you all about it later."
At 1500 GMT, Ms Felkin posted a statement which said the school had returned to normal and students would be leaving at the usual time.
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Feed: BBC News - Home
Posted on: Thursday, March 10, 2011 10:14 PM
Author: BBC News - Home
Subject: Police hunt for gun threat trio
| Armed police and a helicopter descend on an area of Hove in a hunt for three men after an officer is threatened with a gun. |
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