Witnesses have described their shock at the moment armed police had to clear a town centre square while they confronted a man.
Residents of Attleborough looked on as several police units cleared Queen's Square and confronted and arrested a man, believed to be in his 60s at around 4pm on Thursday.
A police spokesman said: 'Police were called around 1.30pm reporting the concern for safety of a male from Wymondham believed to be in possession of a firearm.
'Armed officers located the male in Queen's Square in Attleborough a short while later and was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act.
'No one was injured as a result of the incident and there was no wider threat to the public. Further enquiries led officers to seize a shotgun from the male's vehicle.'
Vicky Rix, 27, from Great Ellingham, said: 'All of a sudden everyone just ran including a guy who grabbed his little girl.
'I thought 'what the hell', and some bloke was on the floor then they picked him up and I had to stop holding up traffic and move.'
Rebecca England was working at Attleborough Travel on Queen's Square when the incident happened. She said: 'There was an unmarked vehicle, a van and at least four cars and they blocked the road off.
'It was when the kids were coming out of school. The man, who I think was about 65 was sat on a bench, but it was weird it was almost like they were having a chat which seemed a bit much because they were walking around with guns and helmets on.
'Then they hand cuffed him and took him away.'
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