A LAUNCESTON house was surrounded by armed police officers on Monday when police suspected the woman inside had an air rifle. Pupils were kept inside the nearby St Catherine's School or escorted home by a different route.

Police went to Moorland Road — Launceston Police Station is situated in the same road — at about 1pm on Monday after reports of an alleged breach of the peace.

It was believed to involve a woman who apparently objected to being evicted from her home.

On arrival, police officers found "a woman causing a distrubance and refusing to leave the property, following a dispute over an eviction process," claimed a police spokesman.

The officers believed the woman may have had access to an air rifle.

As a result, the police sealed off the road — part of a larger housing estate — meaning that children had to remain in the St Catherine's Church of England School, next door to the police station.

Special police negotiators were brought in to talk to the woman and the incident lasted for more than four hours.

The woman was eventually taken to the police station.

The police reported that no one was injured during the incident and they said on Tuesday morning that the woman was released without charge on Monday evening.