Armed police surrounded a Sussex secondary school as a choir practiced inside.

Gun-wielding officers from Sussex Police were called to St Wilfrid’s Catholic Comprehensive School at 6pm on Wednesday amid reports there was a man outside carrying a “machine gun”.

Alarm raised But the blissfully unaware choir sang through the drama.

Although pupils had left the school for the day, members of Burgess Hill-based Ariel Choir were in the school in St Wilfrid’s Way, Southgate, Crawley.

A woman raised the alarm with Sussex Police, after spotting three teenagers armed with a firearm outside of the school.

A road was closed in the area and police officers carried out an extensive search for the gunman.

The singers were told to stay inside as officers carried out the hunt for the weapon and the teenagers, and patrolled the area.

 

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A Sussex Police spokeswoman confirmed: “A man was arrested for possession of a loaded air weapon in a public place after a woman reported seeing three teenagers with a firearm outside.

“A search of the area was carried out by officers and those at the school were told to stay inside.

“The road was also closed.

“A BB gun was located at a house in Old Horsham Road and an 18-year-old man was arrested shortly afterwards.

“The road and school re-opened at 7pm. No one was hurt.

“The man has been questioned and released on bail until Thursday, November 7.”

Head teacher Jonathan Morrison confirmed a choir was using the school at the time.

Still singing He said: “The school was being let to an outside group.

“The police told people not to leave the building.”

An Ariel Choir spokeswoman added: “They were all singing and the police came in and said they could not leave.

“The kids were then released and taken home.”

She said that at first the singers were unaware of the drama.

She added: “We sang through it.”