Shots have been fired as armed police officers arrested a suspected gang member during rush hour on one of the busiest roads in the county.

Witnesses reported seeing officers in "four or five" unmarked vehicles swoop on a Mercedes on the A27 at about 4.30pm this evening in an operation being led by the Metropolitan Police.

A man was then seen being walked away in handcuffs at the Kingston roundabout, near Lewes.

The disruption saw one lane of the eastbound carriageway close during the rush hour.

Traffic is reportedly backed up to the Hollingbury junction more than five miles away.

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A spokeswoman for the Met Police said she could not go into the details of the incident due to operational reasons.

However she confirmed armed officers from an anti-gang unit attended the scene and plastic Hatton rounds were fired into a vehicles tyres to "incapacitate" the car.

The spokeswoman said no injuries were reported and a man was taken into custody to a local police station.

Witnesses have taken to social media to describe what they saw.

Barry Haffenden ‏tweeted: "Spoken to mate. Said five or six unmarked police cars swerved all over the place around a car. Heard several gun shots and then a bloke was cuffed."

A witness said: "I came through minutes after the incident and this appears to be quite a large police operation there.

"They appear to have stopped or rammed a Mercedes car and handcuffed a very large gentleman at the side of the round."

A statement issued by the Met at abut 7pm said the incident involving was in relation to firearms and involved Operation Trident officers, who work cutting gun crime in the capital.

It said: "No shots were fired during the stop but Hatton rounds where discharged to incapacitate the car. There were no reports of any injuries.

"A suspected firearm was recovered.

"A man (no further details at this time) was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and has been taken into custody at a local police station.

"Anyone with any information about illegal firearms can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

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