People living in a Trowbridge street were left stunned when armed police surrounded their homes to confront a knife-welding man.

Residents told how between 8pm and 9pm on Thursday, police cars came screeching to a halt in Shearman Street, followed by two officers armed with taser guns and a police dog unit.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said the road was swamped by children trying to catch a glimpse of the action, before a man was confronted in a house in the street before being taken off in an ambulance.

She said: “The man was standing in the doorway turned to the side so we couldn’t see what he was holding in his other hand.

“But a woman, who we believe to be his mum had come down and rushed passed the police to talk to him. It was at this moment that the police officers ran in and it was after that we think he was tasered in the house.

“A rapid response vehicle came first and then a normal ambulance came and he was taken away.

“The police brought a knife out in a bag. It was very long, like a big kitchen knife.”

The woman said when police rushed into the home she heard ‘popping’ noises before the man was brought out and taken to hospital.

She said: “There were children everywhere trying to get a look. We just wanted to have a quiet evening after getting up early that morning, but we didn’t after all this.”

Trowbridge town councillor Rollie Cleere who lives in Spinners Croft, had been helping out at the youth club at the Longfield Community Centre at the time of the incident.

He said children were kept back at the club until police had resolved the situation.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “Following a report of a disturbance in Shearman Street, police officers attended and found a man in possession of a knife.

“A taser was discharged and following that a 26 year old man was arrested.”

*A man has been charged with an offence of causing actual bodily harm and will appear at Chippenham Magistrates’ Court on April 1.