Armed police called to South Shields street as hunt launched after car smashes into garden fence

Northumbria Police were called to the incident on Landseer Gardens in Whiteleas at around 9am today, October 19.

The driver is said to have fled the scene of the crash on foot and now police have launched an investigation to trace him.

Residents in the area have reported how the driver got out of the vehicle holding a gun and was then chased down the street by police.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “Shortly after 9am today police received a report that a car had collided with a fence at an address on Landseer Gardens in South Shields.

“It was reported that a man driving a black Ford Fiesta had collided with the fence causing damage before fleeing the scene on foot.

“Inquiries are currently ongoing to trace the driver.”

Meanwhile residents on the street described how they heard a ‘loud bang’ at around 9am and after coming out of their homes saw that a car had crashed into a garden fence.

One said: “It just came from nowhere.

“I was taking out some rubbish and noticed that there was a lot of police activity in the street. I know there was a crashed car at the top of the street and then we saw all the police running down the road.”

Another resident added that a police helicopter was at the scene for some time.

They said: “I went round the corner and the armed police were there and said they had chased someone onto the fields, then the helicopter came and it stopped around here for ages.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police and quote reference number 321 19/10/19 or alternatively via the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The car has now been removed from the scene by a recovery vehicle.