A man has been charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place after armed police stormed a residential street.

Officers were called to reports of a man with a gun in Strood at 3.30pm on Saturday.

Darren Royston Reeves, 43, of Tern Crescent, Rochester, has also been charged with driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and failure to provide a specimen.

He appeared before magistrates on Monday and was bailed to appear at West Kent Magistrates’ Court, in Sevenoaks, on Monday, November 9. He is in custody.

Neighbours reported seeing three or four 4x4 police cars and officers in “full riot gear” in the Darnley Road area.

A resident of Tern Crescent said: “I saw someone get cuffed at about 6pm and there were two police cars there. They took a car away.”

Police confirmed an armed response vehicle was sent to the scene.