ARMED police closed off Borstal Hill in Whitstable after reports that a man had been seen firing a handgun into the air from a car.

According to an eyewitness about eight police cars blocked the forecourt of the Tollgate Garage on Saturday night. He saw a man spread-eagled across the bonnet of a silver Volvo, with two other men up against a wall.

Armed police were guarding them. "There were guns everywhere," the eyewitness said. "I saw several policeman with hand guns and others, I believe, with automatic weapons."

The witness said Borstal Hill was closed while the police made the arrests at the garage at about 8pm.

"I have never seen so many police in Whitstable ever before," he added. "There was definitely something big going on. There were lots of guns everywhere and for more than an hour before the arrests the town was crawling with police."

A spokesman from Kent police said armed officers had been sent to Whitstable after someone reported seeing three men in a car, with one of them firing a handgun into the air.

"The registration number was taken and police officers found the vehicle, stopped it and detained those inside," the spokesman said.

"As far as I am aware the weapon was a BB gun but we had no way of telling what it was and we had to check it. It could have been dangerous." Inquiries are continuing.