Armed police have locked down roads in Newington Green

Armed police have taken to the streets on the fringes of Newington Green and Highbury this afternoon.

Officers with machine guns have been seen in Ferntower Road and Pyrland Road for the past two hours and residents have been told not to leave their homes.

Twitter is abuzz with rumours and witnesses have spoken of seeing eight police cars, a helicopter and a dozen armed officers.

One said: “The street has been cordoned off and they won’t let me leave my home. They said someone is in the back gardens. There’s armed police everywhere and about eight cars. I’ve been stuck inside for two hours and I need to go out.”