AN ANGRY York mother-of-four today hit out at an armed police raid squad that spent hours searching her home for guns and drugs - but found none.

Alison Greenwood, of Tang Hall, said she was locked out of her Rawdon Avenue home for more than five hours while a major search was carried out on both floors of the house and in the loft.

Officers also searched the loft of the house next door.

Three armed officers, two carrying Heckler and Koch MP5 sub-machine guns and one armed with what appeared to be a baton gun, or plastic bullet gun, kept watch in the back garden.

Both ends of Rawdon Avenue were temporarily sealed off.

Police later confirmed that no drugs or firearms were found in yesterday's raid.

Ms Greenwood said: "I came home from taking the kids to school and doing some shopping and I couldn't get down my own street. I know the police have a job to do and they want to keep everyone safe, but it seemed way over the top to me. They said they were looking for drugs and guns, I don't know what they are on about.

"While that was going on I had two of the kids with me, it was a long time to be out of your house.

"They were wasting my time and theirs."

Chief Inspector Howard Harding, of York police, said the raid had been based on intelligence that said drugs and a firearm were in the house.

The decision to use armed officers reflected that intelligence, he said.

Mr Harding said: "If the lady (Ms Greenwood) or her children were distressed with what happened then we apologise. The last thing we wanted to do was put anyone at risk and we carry out this kind of operation with the safety of everyone in mind.

"We received intelligence a firearm may have been involved, so given that we had to deploy appropriate resources to ensure the safety of the public and the police.

"I would like to convey an apology to the good people of Tang Hall who may have been disrupted by this, and would ask people to bear in mind what we are trying to do and give us their support.

"I have no apology to anyone who is engaged in criminal activity in York. To those people, the message remains, we intend to disrupt your lives and we are coming for you."

Updated: 10:56 Thursday, September 11, 2003