Armed police stormed a house in Colchester after laying siege to a gunman for several hours.
The drama began last night when officers were called to an argument between a man and a woman at Gilderdale Close, St John's, at 5.15pm.
Det Insp Trevor Burdett, of Colchester police, said: "The man produced a firearm and pointed it at them."
Police rescued the woman, leaving her husband inside the house, and called for a specialist firearms team.
The street was sealed off while armed police laid siege for several hours. The stand-off came to an end when the firearms unit stormed the property.
A man was arrested and a doctor will decide today if he is fit to be interviewed. An air pistol was recovered.
Det Insp Burdett said the woman was distressed but no shots were fired and there were no injuries.
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