ARMED officers dramatically detained a man after police received reports a gun had been spotted in a car.

Essex Police acted upon a call received shortly after 8pm last Thursday reporting a gun was seen in a vehicle in Stones Green.

Officers traced the car to Harbour Crescent, in Harwich.

The driver, a 20-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Having seen the man come out of an address, in Main Road, officers attended the address and found two cannabis plants inside.”

An 18-year-old woman found at the address was arrested on suspicion of the cultivation of cannabis and a 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of possession of cannabis.

The three have been bailed until November 5 while the investigation continues.

Dramatic footage captured of the incident showed plain-clothed officers and armed police detaining a man.

Harwich and Kingsway ward councillor Ivan Henderson watched the video and described the scene as something akin to a counter-terrorism operation in the capital.

“I by no means want to condemn the police for it, I am just surprised to see this sort of activity here,” he said.

“This is the kind of thing you would see in London say in response to terrorism or serious crime.

He added: “To see this in a more quiet, sleepy area is alarming.

“But I suppose this is the problem - throughout the country more serious crime is spreading to places like Harwich.

“The quietest village in the country could see this type of thing now.

“It is worrying, but it gives you a degree of confidence to see police clearly working really well and acting on intelligence.”