Armed police surrounded a block of flats this afternoon after a teenage boy is said to have been seen with a weapon.

Residents were told to stay inside their homes as police set up a cordon around Wallis Avenue at around 3.30pm on Tuesday, at the junction with Longshaw Road.

Eyewitnesses saw armed police and sniffer dogs enter flats above a row of shops, before storming a nearby property.

Charlotte Erskine-Howden was visiting the shops with her son when police arrived.

The 24-year-old said: "I went into the shops to buy a drink, I was only in their a minute and when I came out there were police everywhere.

"Police were pointing their guns up at the second floor between Heart of Kent Hospice charity shop and McColls shouting 'armed police.'

"They went into the flats and then came out after and went into a house nearby."

Up to eight armed police officers were spotted at the scene with at least 20 additional officers and PSCOs.

The cordon was lifted at around 5.35pm, with a handful of police officers remaining at the scene.

Despite storming into two properties, police left the scene without making an arrest.

Kent Police is yet to give any indication as to what weapon the boy was reported to have, despite widespread rumours it was a gun.

Eyewitness Josh Wardale said: "I counted about 15 normal police cars and abut 20 officers.The officers got a key to the apartments and went up, but they came back down about half an hour later without anyone and they left about half five."

Conor Bagdimr was working at Charlie's Chippy during the raid.

He said: "It was quite scary, I went out the back and there were armed police pointing up at the flats.

"There were armed police at either side of the flats pointing at the exits.

"They didn't tell us what was happening but McColls next door had to close."

Arriva has taken to Twitter to report bus diversions are in force on the 82 route running from Maidstone to Park Wood.

A Kent Police spokesperson said: "There have been no arrests at this stage and enquiries are ongoing."