ARMED police and sniffer dogs surrounded a house in York for three hours after reports of a man with a gun.

Police were called to The Reeves, Acomb, at 4pm on Saturday to a suspected domestic dispute amid fears there was a gun in the property. It took trained negotiators till 7pm to talk the man out of the property.

The road was cordoned off until about 10pm and residents were prevented from getting back to their homes as about ten police vehicles, with their blue lights flashing, descended on the street and dozens of officers piled out.

The stretch of road near the house was cordoned off to keep spectators away, while a trained police negotiator talked to the man inside.

An airgun and a crossbow were later recovered from the house. No one was injured in the incident.

Acting Inspector Angela Carroll, of York Police, said: "At around 4pm on Saturday we received a call from a gentleman at a house in The Reeves in Acomb.

"The police dog unit and armed officers attended and made the area secure while a negotiator spoke to a man in the house.

"After lengthy negotiations he came out."

A neighbour who did not want to be named, watched the drama unfold from his kitchen window.

"I was doing the washing up when all of a sudden all these police cars came swarming round.

"It was a really big shock. I just couldn't believe it. The family who live there are really nice.

"It's a couple and they have two daughters and a son, but I have never seen the lad the police brought out before in my life," he said.

"There wasn't anybody in the street really, and the police blocked the road to stop anyone getting through."

Another neighbour, 18-year-old Daniel Holder, said he had got home from work at about 5pm and was turned away by police at the cordon so he chose to spend the night at a friend's.

At about 7pm, a man came out of the house and was arrested before being taken to York police station. Any witnesses should phone York Police on 0845 6060247.

A local 39-year-old man has been charged with making threats to kill and causing criminal damage. He was appearing before York Magistrates Court today.

Updated: 09:56 Monday, October 10, 2005