ARMED police swooped on a York street in a dramatic dawn raid today.

More than 60 officers surrounded three addresses in Spalding Avenue, Clifton, before raiding three houses and a caravan.

Police said three men were arrested, following a series of incidents at a nearby house in late October in which it is alleged a crossbow, firearms, knives and a baseball bat "had been used or brandished".

Officers from the North Yorkshire Police tactical firearms unit and operations group executed four magistrates' warrants as they searched the homes and caravan with specialist dog handlers.

The arrested men, aged 22, 23, and 30, have been detained on suspicion of involvement in violent disorder and threats to kill.

They were taken to York's Fulford Road Police Station, where they were being questioned over the incidents.

The drama began at about 6am today, following four days of investigations by police officers.

When the Evening Press visited the scene, nearly a dozen police vehicles were camped on the road around the three addresses. At one of the houses raided, the door had been taken off.

Officers were carrying out a detailed search of all the premises, including the caravan, which was stationed on a drive. There were still occupants in one of the houses as investigators worked.

Chief Superintendent John Lacy, commander of North Yorkshire Police's Central Area, said: "Violence on the streets of this city will not be tolerated, and we will always take firm and decisive action to deal with it.

"Whether it takes in excess of 60 officers to tackle the problem, we will do it. We owe it to the people of Clifton, who have made great strides in making this area a pleasant place to live. We work with many agencies to ensure the success of operations like this, but our most important partners are the people of York, and we will continue to work with them to keep the city a good and safe place to live."

At the scene, Sergeant Martyn Welburn, said: "There was a lot of disorder in the streets on October 29, which ran into October 30. Allegations were made of certain weapons being used and, as a result of that, we have mounted an armed operation on these addresses this morning."

Clifton councillor Alan Jones said it was reassuring to see that the police were acting. "People in Clifton can see that the police are doing their job and that should help them to feel more safe and secure in their homes," he said.

Updated: 11:26 Thursday, November 07, 2002