A SQUAD of armed police officers were called to a street following a violent row between neighbours.

The fight between two men thought to be from houses in Sandown Avenue, Westcliff, broke out shortly before 10.30am yesterday.

Eyewitnesses said one of the men was holding a firearm and the other may have had a knife.

Armed police rushed to the scene and found a man and woman with head injuries, neither of which were life threatening.

Sandown Avenue and adjoining Cavendish Gardens were cordoned off for more than two hours, while police searched the area for discarded weapons.

Police eventually found an imitation firearm and two men aged 26 and 39, have since been arrested in connection with the incident.

A woman from Sandown Avenue, who asked to remain anonymous, was badly shaken by the violence.

She said: “It was very frightening. There were six or seven police cars and I saw officers, with guns and dogs, hiding behind a car. I kept my windows shut because I didn’t want anything to do with it. The police made us stay indoors while they searched the area.”

Another resident, from Cavendish Gardens, added: “There were about a dozen police with guns.

“We heard some shouting then the police arrived. I think it was some sort of argument that got out of hand.”

A police spokesman urged anyone with information about the fight, or events leading up to it, to contact Southend CID on 0300 3334444.