A man was shot in the hand following a stand-off with armed police.

Firearms officers were called to a house in Borers Arms Road, Copthorne, near Crawley, at 10pm yesterday, to reports that an armed man was threatening a woman inside the property.

Sussex Police officers negotiated with the two occupants and a police gun was fired at 10.55pm.

A man, in his 50s, received an injury to his hand. Officers gave him first aid before he was treated at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill. The woman was led to safety by police.

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: "At 10pm last night, police were called to a house in Borers Arms Road, Copthorne, where it was reported that there was a man, believed to be armed, threatening a woman inside.

"Firearms officers were deployed to the scene and police negotiated with the two occupants.

"A firearm was discharged by police at 10.55pm and a man, in his 50s, received an injury to his hand.

"Officers gave him first aid before he was treated at the New East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, where he is assisting police with their inquiries.

"A woman was led safely from the house.

"Firearms have been found in the house and their viability and type are yet to be ascertained."

Firearms which were found in the house have been taken away by police for examination.

The man is currently helping police with their inquiries.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been notified.

Sources said that investigators were treating it as a domestic incident. Two police officers stood guard at a cordon as villagers spoke of their shock at the shooting.

Beverley Hewitt, 46, who lives opposite the house where the shooting happened, said the man came out supported by officers before being led into an ambulance.

Mrs Hewitt said the man, known to her only as Ian, had lived at the three-bedroom detached house with his unnamed wife for more than 10 years.

She said: "He was always very friendly with me. However, he could be quite grumpy sometimes.

"If people parked in the layby by his house he would leave nasty notes."

Describing what first alerted her to the incident, she said: "It was the shouting that made us look. It happened at the end of Spooks on the television.

"There was initially one shot that came from the back of property. Then we heard over the radios someone say, 'He's down'.

"Then I think I heard four more shots with flashes from the front.

"They then brought the woman out. She was really worried about her dog. She was probably in shock.

"The police were saying they were just worried about her safety."

Mrs Hewitt said most of the activity was concentrated at the front of the house but the initial bang was heard at the rear.

"They bashed down the door and he came out walking," she added. "There was a lot of people around him but he climbed into the ambulance and laid down voluntarily."

Mrs Hewitt went on: "It was really scary. My daughter was obviously really shocked."Some residents told of hearing two loud bangs late on Monday night but thought they were fireworks being let off.

One woman, who declined to be named, said: "I just presumed someone was having a fireworks party or something. Maybe these two bangs I heard were shots but I couldn't be sure. It's usually a quiet, sleepy village. These things just don't happen round here.

"The most serious recent incident was a hit and run crash where an elderly woman was killed. It's not the place for gun crime, though."

An IPCC spokesman said: "We have had an investigator in Sussex overnight assessing the available evidence before we make a decision on the best way to progress."