Unarmed police today tackled a gunman in a Leigh street just three hours after a man was stabbed in the throat with a penknife.
Police said the man, in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The dramatic chain of events began in Leigh with a knife attack near the Elms pub in London Road at 11.45pm.
A 22-year-old local man received a knife wound to the throat and was taken to Southend Hospital for surgery but his injury is not believed to be life-threatening.
At 3.20am today two police officers stopped a man in Cheltenham Drive, Leigh, about 250 yards from the scene of the stabbing.
The unarmed officers came face to face with a handgun and after a struggle took possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
It was later found to be loaded with blank cartridges and no-one was injured.
An Essex Police spokesman said: "Both officers acted bravely and with great presence of mind. For legal reasons we cannot say more at this stage."
Published Tuesday August 20, 2002
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