Police confirmed late last night they were still hunting two men in connection with an attempted robbery, with one of the men believed to be armed with a firearm.

It is thought there was an attempted robbery earlier in the day at a Friswells Hill location when the men were confronted by a Police officer.

The suspects then fled the scene on an auxiliary cycle, with the officer in hot pursuit. The chase ended on Vesey Street in Devonshire, where the men abandoned the cycle.

A struggle followed between the officer and one of the men. During the struggle, the culprit produced what appeared to be a gun and aimed it at the officer, who then retreated and called for backup.

This allowed both men to escape on foot.

In response, armed officers cordoned off Vesey Street and told students at nearby Somersfield Academy to go back indoors.

A short time later, Police set up a temporary base in the area complete with a Policeman mounted on a crane, to see if they could spot the men from higher up.

Vesey Street residents were told they could not head home from mid-afternoon, while at one stage Police were in a crane so they could look down over the surrounding area of grass and open land.

Uniformed officers, one of whom had a rifle, stood near the road's junction with Parsons Lane, while Police cars were also stationed at Somersfield Academy and at Vesey Street's junction with Valley Heights Road.

At about 2.20 p.m., officers are understood to have told Somersfield teachers that an incident had taken place and an armed man was on the loose in the area.

Children were brought inside until school closed at 3 p.m., when they were picked up by their parents. Principal Margaret Hallett said the news was kept from the children to prevent them from panicking.

She told The Royal Gazette: "We were just being vigilant. The Police were very good — they let us know we should be vigilant. At no point was there any panic."

The principal declined to comment further, saying she did not want to adversely affect the Police investigation.

Vesey Street residents — unable to go home — gathered near the Police cordon, some of them drinking beer and enjoying some banter.

One woman said: "I don't know about a robbery, it looks more like a murder to me. The Policeman down there has got a rifle. Bermuda has got so exciting. I just want to go home."

Pointing to homes just on the other side of the cordon, she added: "I live right there."

At about 3.30 p.m., an angry woman said: "I have been standing here for an hour. They haven't told me what's going on. I'm going through the bush."

She then disappeared in the direction of some trees, shrugging her shoulders and waving her hands as somebody shouted to be careful.

One man sitting in his car said: "I tried to get in the other way but that was blocked off too. Nobody has explained anything to me. I saw a crane come out with a lookout box. They will have been able to see everything from there."

Another man pulled up in a car, sighed, shook his head and did a U-turn before speeding away.

A Police statement yesterday afternoon said: "We do not consider that the individual concerned represents a threat to the public.

"Our efforts to apprehend the suspect will continue and the investigation is being conducted from the Major Incident Room."

Late last night, Police confirmed the suspects had not been apprehended.