A major police presence descended on a Kirkby street to reports of a "woman with a gun" in the area.
Residents reported seeing a convoy of six police cars stationed outside the Park Brow pub, close to a cluster of shops and take-aways.
Merseyside Police confirmed that officers were called out to Park Brow Drive in Kirkby , after a call saying "someone had reportedly been seen in possession of a firearm".
Officers responding to gun fears in the area attended the road, but a spokeswoman for the force confirmed no firearm has been found.
A woman was detained while officers continue make further enquiries , with a significant police presence remaining in the area.
Locals reported seeing police cars scrambling to the area at around 7pm on Sunday, with a taxi driver who was working in Kirkby at the time saying he was told "a woman with a gun" had been spotted in the area.
A staff member at a local social club said she saw six police cars stationed nearby, but that the road remained open and no cordon was in place.
One worker at Gerry Wong's Chinese take-away on Park Brow Drive also reported seeing a heavy police presence close to their shop.
The area where police activity was concentrated is close to the spot where 21-year-old James Halewood was stabbed to death in broad daylight outside the Park Brow shops on Broad Lane.
His death, caused by a single stab wound , shocked the area when it happened earlier this month on July 7.
There is no suggestion that the incidents are linked in any way.
