A GLIMPSE into the world of gun terror came to the 1,000 residents of a quiet Fenland village today during the unfolding drama of an armed siege.

Photographer Brian Purdy and reporter Andrew Papworth watched for hours as police held back cars and cordoned off a whole street as negotiations continued to end the stand off. At one stage a policeman was injured, but not seriously. He was taken away by paramedics.

As some children were removed from Chapelgate, Sutton St James, near Long Sutton and another family were allowed out of the siege area in a Ford Focus, police closed off the area and stopped anyone from entering.

A special armed squad from Leicestershire was called in by Lincolnshire Police to assist but information about what was happening was sparse.

A press officer for Lincolnshire police emerged at one stage to advise the rapidly gathering throng of journalists – including those from ITN, BBC and Sky- that she could tell them little of the incident.

She explained that they were unable to give much information since those involved in the siege could have access to media outlets. It is thought one man is in a house and resisting arrest.

What is known is that the incident began shortly after 11am today and soon part of the village – which is about nine miles North West of Wisbech- and that heavily armed police were soon on the scene.

Tonight there was concern that people who were unable to get back into their homes would have nowhere to go so police began diverting them to a temporary respite centre at the village hall.

The containment checkpoints are:

• the junction of Chapelgate and Broadgate

• the junction of Jarvis Gate and Chapelgate

• the junction of Bells Drove and Chapelgate

• the junction of Baulkins Drove and Broadgate

• Garner’s Garage and Chapelgate

What is definitely known from today’s incident is that a police car with the driver’s window broken by a gun shot was removed from the scene.

A police car with its driver’s side window broken - believed to be by at least one gun shot - has been taken away from Chapelgate in Sutton St James.

One eyewitness reports that the car was parked there by police after the incident nearby.