People said they were "unnerved" following a firearms incident near a landmark pub in Wirral.
At around 6.45pm yesterday (Wednesday), police received reports of three men running into the Arrowe Park pub in Woodchurch, near Prenton, shouting shots were fired at them. There were no reports of anyone being injured.
This morning a significant police presence remained at the busy Arrowe Park Road junction, with an area cordoned off outside the pub, and another smaller crime scene a few hundred yards away on Church Lane. A mobile police station was parked up at the scene of the incident.
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Scenes of crime officers in white suits were combing the area, while Matrix officers were also visible carrying out a fingertip search of the road. It's believed the pub will remain closed to customers today (Thursday), apart from privately booked functions.
One man who lives nearby, Ray Jones, 74, said: "I was driving home at around 9pm last night when I saw the road all blocked off. I thought it must be a serious incident. I was surprised to see them still here this morning."
Another local couple said: "It's unnerved us. It makes you feel not safe going out of a night. It's such a shame as this is usually a nice area, but when you see something like that it brings it too close to home."
Police said enquiries were ongoing and anyone with any information is asked to come forward.
Detective Inspector Darren Hankin said: "We are in the very early stages of an investigation and will remain in the area to provide reassurance to the community and gather information. This initially appears to have been a targeted attack, but we're keeping an open mind as to the circumstances.
"The use of weapons on our streets will not be tolerated and we know this will be an alarming incident for local residents. An extensive investigation is being carried out.
"If you saw or heard anything suspicious on Arrowe Park Road or the surrounding area at around 6.45pm, or have captured home CCTV or dashcam footage, please do come forward in confidence as any information could be vital to the investigation."
Anyone with information can contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC, or 101 with reference 894 of 08/06. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
