Armed officers and forensic teams part of large police presence in South Shields street

Forensic teams were pictured in and around Marshall Wallis Road, South Shields, on Saturday, with a police cordon in place for part of the street.

A specialist search team vehicle was also parked in the area, and scenes of crime officers were observed carrying out searches in the street and in nearby drains.

The Gazette spoke to a number of residents who live in the area, but who did not wish to be named.

One reported seeing emergency services vehicles from both Northumbria Police and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) in the street in the early hours of Saturday morning.

They said: "At about 1.45am last night I saw flashing lights in the window. I went to see what was happening and I saw an ambulance, a police van and two or three police cars.”

Another added: “My husband went out to get a paper. When he came back he said the area had been cordoned off by police. Obviously these things happen but you don't expect it on your doorstep."

Armed police remained in Marshall Wallis Road on Saturday afternoon and into the evening. Residents also reported seeing police dog units in attendance.

A person who lives on nearby Alice Street added: “I've lived here for 30 years and never seen anything like this.”

On Saturday evening, inquiries were continuing in Marshall Wallis Road.

Issuing a statement on Saturday shortly after 10pm, a NEAS spokesperson said: "We were called at 12.52am this morning (Saturday) to an incident at a private address on Marshall Wallis Road in South Shields.

"We sent three of our Hazardous Area Response teams and an emergency ambulance crew, who took one patient to hospital."

As of 10pm on Saturday, Northumbria Police had not yet provided a comment or statement to the Gazette regarding the incident. The force was contacted multiple times throughout the day by our reporting team.

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