A bridge in a town centre was shut last night when a "gun" was seen to be thrown into a lake.
Merseyside Police shut Marine Parade bridge over Marine Lake in Southport last night and three men were arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm. At around 9.25pm police received reports that three men were seen smashing bottles along The Promenade and that one of the men had a gun.
Patrols attended and officers saw a man throw a suspected firearm into Marine Lake. Three men aged 18, 23 and 24 from Preston were arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm.
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Officers from the Underwater Search Unit searched the lake and recovered a BB gun. Enquiries are currently ongoing. Merseyside Police confirmed last night that they were forced to shut Marine Parade bridge following a "police incident".
Detective Inspector Jay Halpin said: “To the untrained eye, an imitation firearm and BB guns can cause fear and harm to people who wouldn’t know the difference between them or a more dangerous weapon if confronted with one.
“We rely on information given to us by the public and this makes a huge difference in identifying suspects, seizing weapons and removing suspects who would bring lethal weapons onto our streets.”
If you have got any information about the use or storage of weapons please DM @MerPolCC or @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111.
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