Armed police attend Blantyre home as man with crossbow barricades himself inside

A STREET in Blantyre is under lockdown as police deal with an ongoing incident involving a man armed with a crossbow.

Emergency services arrived on the scene this morning at around 11am, with a woman reported to have been taken hostage inside the property.

It is now thought that there is a woman inside the house, but she is not being held against her will.

Armed police and negotiators have since set up camp in the area, with a police helicopter also overhead.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers are currently dealing with an incident in Morris Crescent, Blantyre where a man is within a house in possession of a crossbow.

“Firearms officers, negotiators and uniformed officers are currently at the scene dealing with the incident and a cordon has been put in place as a precaution.”

#blantyre pic.twitter.com/QV4eXiECL0

— Andy Branco (@brankin_andrew) October 24, 2017

South Lanarkshire Council say that due to the incident, children and staff at nearby Auchinraith Primary, Calderside Academy and Calderside Nursery are being ‘kept in the premises as a precaution.’

A tweet from the council reads: “Police have confirmed the incident is contained within a house, the school is not involved. We will continue to liaise with the police.”