RESIDENTS of a Dorset village have spoken of a 'scary' and 'shocking' experience after police swooped on their community to deal with a person armed with a knife making threats.

A woman has been arrested over the incident in Crossways in which a man was injured.

Police said it happened in the 'Warmwell Road area' without giving an exact location but it is understood it happened outside a residential property in a smaller road nearby.

Police said they were alerted to the village on Sunday afternoon following reports of a woman armed with a knife threatening people.

Armed officers were not deployed and an arrest was made about half an hour after a 999 call was made.

Locals spoke of their shock after hearing about the incident.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "We were called to reports of a woman threatening members of the public in Crossways at around 3.45pm on Sunday, October 4.

"A woman was allegedly brandished a knife in a threatening manner.

"Officers attended the Warmwell Road area and arrested a woman at the scene.

"A local man sustained a cut to his hand as a result of the incident.

"A 51-year-old local woman was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a weapon and released on police bail, pending further enquiries, until the end of November."

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said she saw police cars in Crossways and added that it was ‘a very scary experience’.

She said: "This must have been an incredibly scary incident, especially for the people directly involved. I was shocked when I saw the police cars to say the least."

Anne Halks, 72, who lives in the area, said: "I don't really know what happened. My neighbour said that someone had been seen with a knife. I saw a few police cars dotted along Warmwell Road but that was all. An ambulance drove past later on. We were quite shocked as it was the middle of the afternoon. You wouldn't expect something like this to happen at that time. I hope the man who was injured is okay. He must be a bit shook up."

Chairman of Crossways Parish Council Andrew Brewer, said: "This is a bit of a shock. I live on Warmwell Road but I didn't see or hear anything.

"There was a motorcycle rally going on on Sunday which I heard all day. It's difficult to say anything as we know little about what happened but well done to the police."