Three men have been arrested following an armed siege in a quiet street in Congresbury.

Police were called to a first-floor housing association maisonette in Venus Street at about 3.45pm yesterday after reports that a man had been seen shooting a crossbow at the fence of a neighbouring property.

Officers found bolts in the fence but when they went to the address from where they believed the bolts had been fired, the man inside refused to let them in.

Neighbours said they heard someone threatening to "take out the first person through the door".

Armed police and dog handlers were called and the road was cordoned off while a team of police negotiators was summoned to try to coax the man out.

The property was surrounded by police from the firearms unit, armed with automatic weapons and wearing bulletproof vests, while the negotiators spoke to the man by phone.

Two other men, one aged in his 40s and another in his 20s, were arrested after coming out of the building of their own accord.

A crowd of about 20 people gathered to watch the drama, both Venus Street residents and other villagers who had been out walking dogs or riding bikes when they saw the incident.

The Post understands that at some point during the stand-off the man inside pulled out the phone line to the maisonette and stopped answering his mobile phone.

At about 9pm police used a battering ram to knock in the uPVC front door of the property and shouted warnings, saying: "Armed police – come to the door."

There was no movement from inside and shortly before 10pm police could be seen climbing up the front wall of the building, shining torches into a window.

A few minutes later a man wearing a pale T-shirt and jeans was pulled from the house in handcuffs.

The Post understands he is a man in his 50s, who lives locally.

Paramedics were called but no one is believed to have been injured in the incident.

Neighbours said police had been called to the street about three weeks ago, after an incident in which a duck was shot with a crossbow.

Mother-of-six Nikki Forrest, 46, who lives in the street, said: "There have been problems here before with anti- social activity.

"Let's hope the authorities take notice now."

Sarah Slater, 44, who lives just a few houses from the property involved in the incident, said: "I'm quite surprised, as it's not the sort of thing you expect to happen in a quiet place like this."

Inspector Damian Morley, of Avon and Somerset police, said: "We had a call about a male causing some damage to a fence using a crossbow. Crossbow bolts were found in the fence.

"After that point we tried to speak to the male occupant. Two men came out of the flat of their own accord and were both arrested.

"Police gained entry to the property and a third male was found in the bedroom. A crossbow and bolts have been recovered. A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage."