Police are still searching for a suspect following reports a woman was robbed at gunpoint last night.

Armed officers were among those called to Painters Ash Lane in Northfleet at 7.30pm after the victim reported seeing a handgun.

One suspect, a man in his 30s, was arrested in Freeman Road in connection with the incident, almost three miles from where the incident took place, and remains in police custody today.

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The arrest was made after a widespread search, with police cars and ambulance vehicles spotted in neighbouring Dene Holm Road – as well as Freeman Road and nearby Doria Drive, Gravesend.

One resident of Doria Drive said she saw eight police officers, two of them armed, as well as a helicopter circling above the area.

Earlier reports on social media suggested someone had been threatened with a gun and stabbed in the leg near a Co-op supermarket in Dene Holm Road. Police have confirmed that no stabbing took place.

The supermarket was also closed. It is usually open 6am to 10pm every day.

Access to the rear of the shops, and to the flats above was also cordoned off by police and there was a forensics van on site.

A police spokesman said: “Police were called at 7.30pm on Tuesday following a report of a robbery in Painters Ash Lane, Northfleet.

“Armed response officers were deployed as a precaution after the victim reported seeing what she thought was a handgun.

“A man in his 30s was arrested shortly afterwards in connection with the incident and is now in police custody.”

The Co-op was re-opened this morning but staff declined to comment.

Samantha Jenkins, of Freeman Road, heard a commotion in front of her house and discovered up to 20 police officers armed with guns had pulled over a man in a white van.

"He was made to get out to the van a lie face down on the floor with his hands behind his back and cuffed him.

"They had guns pointed on him and the van at all times."

The mother-of-three who works in John Lewis added: "One policeman with a armoured shield and another with a gun went to the back of the van and unlocked it, but saw there was nothing inside.

"They all put their guns away, a couple of the police car dispersed but the road was blocked off still, and then the forensics van showed up."

The company’s head office was contacted for a comment but has not responded.

At Martin’s newsagents, which is next door, staff heard about what happened but the shop was closed at the time.

Patricia Thomas, who lives near the Co-op, said yesterday: “I didn’t hear anything at first but my son rang me to let me know what was going on.

“I looked out my window and there were groups of people and police everywhere. Another police car whizzed past my house. I heard somebody had a gun.

“I don’t know what happened but it’s the first bit of excitement we’ve had round here for a while.”

One man, who didn’t want to be named, said: “I saw it all, police everywhere and an ambulance up the road.

“I’ve heard all sorts of things, that someone got shot and someone got stabbed, but I don’t know what actually happened.

“I’ve got three kids, I didn’t want them getting involved in it. I just saw a couple of people walking around with bandages round their hands.”

Some people also reported that a smashed up red car was parked along a sign for Marconi Road. Police cordoned it off, and were parked up all along the road.