Police incident on Gibbons Cres

Armed police are attending an incident on Gibbons Cres in Whanganui this morning.

About 20 police staff including armed offenders squad officers, armed police and police dog handlers are on the street which was blocked off for a time.

Neighbours reported hearing police using a megaphone to speak to someone in a house calling for them to come out with their hands on their head and they would not be harmed.

They said this went on for up to an hour.

A Gibbons Cres resident said the incident started before 11am.

He said he heard a lot of shouting and saw police go into a house.

"I couldn't quite make out what the shouting was about."

He also heard police using a megaphone. "(It) sounded like they were trying to negotiate with the guy in the house."

He said there were about twelve police cars on a street.

Police began to leave about 11:30am while some could be seen inside the house.