Armed police and helicopter sent to Harborough after two people were confronted by a man with a shotgun

Armed police officers were sent to Market Harborough and the force’s helicopter was scrambled after two people were confronted by a man with a shotgun yesterday evening (Sunday).

The full-scale 999 operation was triggered shortly before 5pm yesterday, Leicestershire Police told the Harborough Mail today.

The dramatic firearms incident happened in a field off Northampton Road, Market Harborough, police said.

The man with the shotgun is said to have warned the stunned youths to get out as they were on “private land”.

But the man wasn’t the landowner and the “youths had permission to be on the land”, police said.

Armed police raced to the spot after the terrified youths left the field and immediately raised the alarm.

The regional National Police Air Service helicopter was also drafted in as officers launched a huge dragnet search of the area for the gun-toting man.

The aircraft could be seen and heard hovering over a large swathe of Market Harborough for over an hour as mystified townspeople were left wondering what was happening.

“Shortly before 5pm yesterday we received a report that two youths had been confronted by a man in a field off Northampton Road, Market Harborough.

“It was reported the man was holding a shotgun and told the group to leave the field as it was private land.

“In the interests of public and police safety, armed officers were deployed to carry out a search of the area,” said police.

“Assistance was also provided by the National Police Air Service (NPAS).

“Initial enquiries have been carried out which confirmed the man wasn’t the landowner and the youths had permission to be on the land.

“Enquiries are ongoing into the report.”