ARMED police were called twice to Cornwallis Way last week following reports of guns being used in a burglary.

Firearms officers swooped on the area in two separate incidents, the first on Monday 10th August.

The occupiers of a property in the street called police to say that two men had entered their house holding objects resembling firearms. A motorbike was stolen during the burglary, no-one was injured.

A 25 year old man from the Newport area and a 26 year old man from the Monmouth area were arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and bailed pending further enquiries, the 25 year old was returned to prison custody as he had breached licence conditions.

The second incident happened the following night on 11th August when armed police converged in the same area.

An eye-witness said that police arrived about 9.30pm on Monday evening and stopped at an address down a cul-de-sac: “I could see they were armed as they were getting guns out of the boot of their car; they were not handguns.”

The following night there were more police cars blocking the road both ways at Cornwallis Way at about 10pm.

Another eyewitness said: “I heard lots of cars and saw more armed police, their cars were blocking either side of the cul-de-sac; there was a police helicopter flying around also.”

“There were a lot more police than the previous night.”

The eyewitness continued: “They also had a sniffer dog with them. People were saying that they heard gunshots that night, but I don’t know.”

“It seems very strange they were in the same area two nights running. There were less police around Monday night, and I thought they had picked up the man they were looking for.”

A police spokesman said: “Police attended Cornwallis Way on Tuesday evening (11th August) as a disturbance was heard. There was no evidence an offence has been committed, no complaints and the two incidents are not being treated as linked