'It’s beyond belief that you can have a shotgun waved about in front of you by a man in Market Harborough' says shocked teenager caught up in firearms drama

An angry man waved a shotgun about as he threatened two terrified teenagers in a field on the eastern edge of Market Harborough in broad daylight.

The culprit shouted and swore as he “wafted” the weapon about in front of the two 17-year-olds, Wilf and Nick, just before 5pm on Sunday evening.

The incident triggered a full-scale 999 response as armed police officers dashed to the scene and the force’s helicopter was scrambled.

The suspect, who was with a woman, is now being sought by police after a massive search of the area failed to find him.

Another teenager who was caught up in the firearms drama has now spoken to the Harborough Mail about the incident.

Theo, who’s also 17, said: “It was terrifying and my two mates just could not believe what was happening.

“It’s beyond belief that you can have a shotgun waved about in front of you by a man in Market Harborough.

“Thank goodness that Wilf and Nick are both all right – and no one got injured.”

The student said his best friends were suddenly targeted as they tramped into a field behind the town’s leisure centre off Northampton Road.

“I know the farmer and we had got his permission to go over there on Sunday afternoon.

“We are working on renovating an old ambulance trailer.

“There must be 25-30 old vehicles over there as well as an abandoned farmhouse,” said Theo, who lives in Market Harborough.

“Wilf and Nick nipped over at about 4.30pm.

“I was eating my tea and said I’d meet up with them.

“But I never got the chance because Wilf rang me to say that they had been held up by this man with a shotgun.

“They were both very shocked.

“So I ran down there straight away.

“They had just entered the field when this man appeared out of nowhere.

“He started shouting at them, effing and blinding.

“The man was telling them to get lost in so many words.

“He was carrying an old shotgun and he was wafting and waving it about in front of them.

“The man claimed it was his private property.

“He told the two lads his dad owned the land.

“They knew that’s a lie because the farmer doesn’t have a son.

“But Wilf and Nick were so frightened they weren’t taking any chances.

“They both hared off the way they’d come, through a bush, and it was all over within a minute.”

Theo met his two pals by the roundabout at the sports centre just moments after the drama.

“It was incredible – Wilf and Nick were both so stunned.

“We could hardly take in what had just gone on.

“I rang 999.

“The police helicopter was over us within what seemed like 30 seconds – it was very fast,” he said.

“Police cars also started getting to us very quickly.

“A total of eight police cars rushed to us – four marked and four unmarked.

“One policeman jumped out of an armoured unmarked BMW and asked us about the man’s firearm.

“He pulled an assault rifle out of his car and asked if it was similar.

“He was wearing a flak jacket and put on a helmet, goggles and gloves.

“It was like a scene out of a SWAT cops show on TV.

“They then all trooped off into the field to search for the man – there must have been about 16 officers altogether.”

Theo said his mates told him the suspect was white, about 5ft 10ins tall, of slim build and had dark hair and stubble.

They think he was in his 30s or 40s.

He was with a woman, who was shorter and had blonde hair.

“This has really shaken us all up.

“We have been going over there three or four times a week to work on the trailer.

“But we’ll be leaving it for at least a week now before venturing over again,” said Theo.

“It’s very scary that a man is just wandering around on the outskirts of Market Harborough armed with a very dangerous shotgun.

“He didn’t know that Wilf and Nick were going to turn up.

“So what was he doing there on that land in the first place?

“I’d just tell people who walk in the countryside in that part of town to keep an eye out and be very careful.

“And I hope that the police catch him very soon.”

Leicestershire Police said: “Shortly before 5pm yesterday (Sunday) 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.

“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.”