Armed police swarmed a street in Southport after a man called them claiming he had a gun.
At around 9.50pm on Thursday, September 24, police received a phone call from a man who told them he had a firearm.
The man made threats down the phone, threatening to harm himself.
Armed officers were deployed to Newton Street where they located a man in his 50s.
One witness described seeing two officers "pointing a gun at this lad", before the area was "swarming with police."
Merseyside Police said the man was detained under the Mental Health Act and was taken to hospital to be assessed.
A spokesperson from the force said: "Following enquiries, no evidence of a firearm was located and the incident was stood down."
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