Questions are being asked after armed police were called out to an incident in Seaton on New Year's Eve. 

Villagers were left alarmed and confused after waking to find armed police patrolling the streets.

The armed officers were searching for a prominent Northern Ireland loyalist accused of weapons offences, who was believed to be hiding out in the area. 

Joe Sandwith, of Low Seaton, said that people had no idea whether or not they were in danger. 

He said: "People were alarmed. I certainly was, seeing police with semi-automatic pistols and body armour walking round and a helicopter overhead for an hour-and-a-half. 

"All they said was they were looking for someone. 

"What really concerned me was they had all this protective gear on and yet they were just letting people walk around.

"If it was safe and they were wearing bulletproof jackets then they were being totally over the top.

"If it wasn't safe then they should have closed down the area and told people to stay indoors. It just didn't make sense." 

Richard Rhodes, Cumbria's crime commissioner, said: "I will be asking questions of Cumbria Constabulary based on concerns raised to me by the public.

"I don't think it's unreasonable for people to be informed about the situation.

"After all if a fire alarm goes off you'd expect to be told whether it was real or not and when it was safe to go back in again."

The armed search centered on the Low Seaton area of the village along with Kelsick Park and Jackson street. 

Doreen James, of Kelsick Park, didn't know if it was safe to leave her home. 

She said: "I didn't expect the officers who were out to come and speak to us but I thought a support officer or someone, could have come round and just said 'stay indoors for a couple of hours'." 

A Cumbria police spokesman said: "Armed officers were deployed as a precaution as there was a perceived threat to officers the suspect or the public.

"Our officers deployed were there to execute a safe warrant and conduct more enquiries later in the morning.

"After every firearms incident, there is a community impact assessment done to assess any community issues. A local sergeant will then task officers to reassure that community. 

"The constabulary always considers the safety of the public as the highest priority when undertaking operations, in any situation where that safety could be compromised the constabulary would of course inform the public in the quickest and most effective way. 

“In this case specifically, armed officers were deployed as an operational contingency and not as a result of intelligence suggesting there was a likely risk to the public, officers or to the suspect." 

The spokesman added that acting Chief Constable, Michelle Skeer was not available for comment. 

Officers were searching for Mark Harbinson, 48. 

They failed to find him but he was arrested when he handed himself into Cumbria police later on New Year's Eve.

He has appeared in court in Northern Ireland charged with firearms offences.

Harbinson, a prominent loyalist, was accused of possessing a Makarov 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a silencer and 28 rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life.

The court heard that a warrant for Harbinson’s arrest was issued after police, acting on information, searched his Northern Ireland home on December 21. They found the weapon, bullets and a working silencer hidden in a tin of biscuits in an outbuilding.

He had been staying in a caravan behind an old friend’s home in Low Seaton. 

Harbinson is due to appear in court again on January 25