ARMED Police were called to Maesycwmmer on Sunday afternoon following reports of a man in a vehicle with a firearm.

The incident, which occurred on Main Road at around 3.40pm, turned out to be a false alarm when officers discovered the weapon was an airsoft gun used for paintballing.

A video, shared on social media, showed the road blocked off with police – including armed officers – at the scene.

MORE NEWS:

At one point the video appears to show a man walking out of a house with his arms raised while a helicopter circled overhead.

A Gwent Police spokesman said in a statement officers had located a 27-year-old man in possession of the airsoft weapon. Due to the nature of the call, the spokesman added, armed police had been sent to the location to ensure the safety of the public.

Following the incident, Gwent Police chief inspector Ryan Francis said: "We are satisfied that the call was made in good faith and there was not any threat to the public.

"No arrests were made and the man has been given suitable advice regarding responsible transportation of airsoft weapons."