A quiet residential road of Helston became a scene “from Miami Vice” on Sunday evening when police with guns swooped over allegations of a man threatening a neighbour with a Samurai sword.

As residents of Kingsley Way enjoyed the early evening sunshine they were startled by the sight of at least six police cars, including armed officers and a police sniffer dog, running past their windows and descending on an upstairs flat.

It was after a 999 call was made just before 5pm, by a 50-year-old man who claimed to have been threatened by his 45-year-old neighbour brandishing a Samurai sword.

The flat is within sight of St Michael's Primary School and directly opposite Trengrouse Nursing Home.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It was like Miami Vice here. Gardens were all searched.”

Another said: “We had the riot squad down - that was frightening. There were guns and a sniffer dog, with six police cars. It was like something off a movie. I looked out and could see guns and riot shields.

“I'm quite impressed with the police actually.”

A police spokesman said officers were initially called to reports of a man threatening a neighbour with a “machete.”

Firearms units were called as back up.

The spokesman said the issue was resolved by 6.30pm when a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray.

He was taken into police custody at Camborne and interviewed over Monday.

A police spokesman said: “No one was hurt during the incident and no weapons were used.”