Armed police were called to the Twerton area of Bath on Monday evening (24 August) after reports of a man acting in a threatening manner with a weapon on a boat in the River Avon.
The incident began around 6.15pm when a member of the public alerted authorities, prompting officers, including armed units, to attend the scene promptly. The boat was subsequently brought to shore, and a man was arrested and taken into police custody. At the time of reporting, he remains in custody.
Witnesses described a tense standoff near the Lower Bristol Road, close to the McDonald’s and Marks & Spencer stores. One witness noted seeing a “standoff between police and person outside McDonald’s/M&S on Lower Bristol Road,” while another observed “loads of police with heavy duty gear on the pedestrian bridge next to Lidl.”
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A photograph from the scene showed armed officers present in the area. The nearby retail park experienced restricted access during the operation, but authorities have since reopened the roads.
Police have indicated that no injuries occurred during the incident. Although officers remain in the vicinity, there is no believed to be any ongoing risk to the public.
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson commented: “We received a call at about 6.15pm today from a member of the public who believed they had seen a man acting threateningly with a weapon on a boat on the River Avon near Twerton. Officers, including armed units, attended the scene promptly. The boat was brought ashore and one man was arrested and is currently in police custody.”