Helicopter and armed police called in after reports of man with gun in Doncaster park

Police swooped on Sandall Park in Wheatley last night after reports of a man in the area with an air rifle.

Residents in nearby Clay Lane reported numerous response vehicles, armed officers and the South Yorkshire Police helicopter descending on the area last night.

One said: “They were all over the place, loads of them and the helicopter was up too.”

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman later confirmed that the incident appeared to have been a false alarm.

A statement said: “We were called at about 8.20pm yesterday to reports of a man in Sandall Park in Doncaster in possession of what was believed to be an air rifle.

“Units attended alongside the NPAS helicopter, but no man matching the description was located and no signs of the described item were found.”