A WOMAN armed with a gun was rugby tackled to the floor by police on London Road in Stockton Heath yesterday.
Eyewitnesses said they saw the 32-year-old leave Stockton Heath Medical Centre around 4.30pm before she confronted the police.
Around 4.45pm the woman was seen pointing the gun at a policewoman in the Forge Shopping Centre car park.
Police officers chased the woman down Church Lane on to the A49.
Shopkeeper Brian Owen said: "One of the policeman did a rugby tackle and brought her down to the ground in no uncertain terms.
"I was out trying to take a photo and it was just before she got to me.
"She really did go down with a bang. It was quite a large handgun."
Armed police arrived at the scene and the woman was taken away in an ambulance.
A police spokesman said that no shots were fired and that the fiream was an airgun.
The woman is currently under guard at Warrington Hospital where she is being treated for a shoulder injury sustained during the arrest.
The spokesman said: "Instances of this nature involving firearms remain rare. However, they are always treated seriously by the police as was demonstrated by the swift action in this case."
No members of the public or police were harmed in the incident.
Any witnesses or anyone who has any information about what happened can call Warrington Police on 0845 458 0000 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
