A suspected gunman escaped onto the roof of an estate in Newington Green following a police raid this morning.

Cops carried out a warrant at an address in Congreve House on the Mayville Estate at about 8am, but during the search a man inside – believed to be in possession of a gun – ran to the roof of the block.

He later came down and went back into the flat. A dozen or so armed officers were sent to the scene, with back-up stationed at the bottom of Green Lanes. At about 8.30am, police appeared to be preparing to storm the building, but as of 10.45am they were still outside.

Congreve House and the adjacent Elton Place have both been taped off and bemused neighbours left their homes this morning to find their estate full of firearms officers and police cars.

“What’s happening?” one woman asked. “I’ve lived here 23 years and never seen anything like this before. This is a peaceful estate.”

A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: “Police attended to carry out a search warrant. While in attendance, a man believed to be in possession of a firearm made his way to the roof of the property.

“Officers, including firearm officers, and the London Ambulance Service are on scene. The man has since come down from the roof and re-entered the property. Specialist officers remain in attendance and a cordon is in place while emergency services deal.”

No arrests have been made and no one has been injured.