A woman has been taken to hospital after being shot by police in Liverpool.

Merseyside Police said officers were called to reports of a woman armed with a knife on Cairns Street in Toxteth at 1.50pm on Thursday.

A force spokesman said: “Patrols attended the scene and a female was shot by police and suffered an injury to her upper body. The woman has been taken to hospital for treatment.

“An investigation is under way and the area is currently cordoned off.

“The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

One woman, who lives near to the police cordon, said she had been asleep after working a night shift when she was woken by a gunshot shortly before 2pm.

She said: “I heard a bang.

“I didn’t know what had happened until my daughter told me she had seen it on the news.”

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she heard two loud bangs.

She said: “It sounded like something had blown up.”

One resident said: “People are sad and mad about it but obviously we don’t know who she is or what’s happened yet.

“A lot of people are going to be angry that a police officer has felt the need to shoot a bullet into somebody.”

North Hill Street and a number of the surrounding streets were cordoned off by police, and officers could be seen carrying out door to door enquiries.

Forensic officers were on the scene and kit belonging to paramedics could be seen on the street.

A spokesman for the IOPC said: “We have begun an independent investigation after a woman was shot by Merseyside Police in the Toxteth area of Liverpool today.

“The incident was referred to us, as is mandatory in these circumstances, at 2.45pm.

“Our investigation is in its very early stages, and we have investigators attending the scene and the post-incident procedures to begin gathering evidence.

“The woman is currently being treated in hospital. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.”

Merseyside Police said an increased police presence would be seen in the area in the next few days.

Liverpool community policing superintendent Diane Pownall said: “I want to reassure the public that Merseyside Police is committed to keeping our communities safe and ensuring that everyone can go about their daily business safely and without fear.

“This was an isolated incident in which officers responded to a number of members of the public reporting a woman in possession of a knife in the Toxteth area.”