TWO men arrested during a dramatic armed swoop on a York street have been released on police bail.

Teams of rifle-carrying officers surrounded a car and ordered the men to lie on the ground in Cherry Street, in the Clementhorpe area of the city, as shocked residents watched from their windows on Wednesday morning.

The two men were handcuffed and taken to Fulford Road Police Station for questioning following what North Yorkshire Police said were reports of “suspicious activity at local premises”.

Yesterday afternoon, they were released on bail pending further inquiries.

However, the force has yet to confirm why the men were arrested or the reasons for the operation, with a police spokesman saying: “Inquiries are ongoing”.

Witnesses described how they were prevented from entering or leaving their homes during the drama, with some saying they had overheard officers called to the scene say the arrests – captured on camera by a Press reader – were in connection with alleged conspiracy offences and an armed robbery.