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| Armed police at farmhouse 'siege' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Armed police have surrounded a farmhouse and closed nearby roads after council officials were threatened, and reports of loud bangs and cars on fire. | |
| Witnesses in Llangeitho, near Tregaron, Ceredigion, said they saw a crossbow after a row over a fence escalated. | |
| Trouble broke out after council officials arrived at the house during the morning to removed a wooden fence. | |
| Officers surrounded the property in the hamlet of Stagg's Head. Negotiators are trying to resolve the situation. | |
| The existence of the fence had been the subject of complaints by members of the public for some time Ceredigion Council | |
| The occupants of the farmhouse or smallholding, which lies between Llangeitho and Lampeter, were reported to have moved into the area several years ago. | |
| Neighbours said the family involved were a mother and three sons and they had since gained a reputation for being very protective of their property. | |
| It has been reported that they built a heavy wooden fence near to the road about which there had been objections. | It has been reported that they built a heavy wooden fence near to the road about which there had been objections. |
| Llangeitho is in a normally quiet rural area of mid Wales | |
| At about 11am on Wednesday, council officials arrived at the property with a legal notice and a digger in tow. | |
| A Ceredigion Council spokeswoman said: "An incident took place near Llangeitho, Tregaron, this morning when council officers were threatened and the private vehicle of one of the officers was damaged. | A Ceredigion Council spokeswoman said: "An incident took place near Llangeitho, Tregaron, this morning when council officers were threatened and the private vehicle of one of the officers was damaged. |
| "The situation is being controlled by the police and there is no current risk to members of the public or council officers. | "The situation is being controlled by the police and there is no current risk to members of the public or council officers. |
| "Council workers had commenced action to remove a row of posts and fencing material which had been erected without permission along the carriageway of the B4578 by an adjoining landowner. | "Council workers had commenced action to remove a row of posts and fencing material which had been erected without permission along the carriageway of the B4578 by an adjoining landowner. |
| "The existence of the fence had been the subject of complaints by members of the public for some time. | "The existence of the fence had been the subject of complaints by members of the public for some time. |
| "The adjoining landowner had therefore been required to remove the obstruction, following service of a notice under the Highways Act 1980. | "The adjoining landowner had therefore been required to remove the obstruction, following service of a notice under the Highways Act 1980. |
| "Unfortunately, however, the landowner had failed to remove the fence and the council officers were now carrying out work in default." | "Unfortunately, however, the landowner had failed to remove the fence and the council officers were now carrying out work in default." |
| Dyfed-Powys Police blocked the road leading to the village | |
| A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "The police have surrounded a house, but we have not been involved yet. We are at a rendezvous point nearby." | A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "The police have surrounded a house, but we have not been involved yet. We are at a rendezvous point nearby." |
| John Emrys Davies, who lives nearby, said he saw plumes of smoke coming from the smallholding. | |
| He added: "There are fire engines, ambulances and quite a few police [at the scene]. | |
| "They have been there since before midday. The helicopter is there as well." | |
| For several hours, a police helicopter circled above the rural area but had landed as darkness fell. | For several hours, a police helicopter circled above the rural area but had landed as darkness fell. |
| Ceredigion county commander for Mid and West Fire Service, Roger Bennett, confirmed that there had been fire in the area but did not reveal any further details. | Ceredigion county commander for Mid and West Fire Service, Roger Bennett, confirmed that there had been fire in the area but did not reveal any further details. |
| A local builder, who did not want to be named, described seeing "several marked and unmarked police vehicles including a dog van" rushing to the scene just before lunchtime. | A local builder, who did not want to be named, described seeing "several marked and unmarked police vehicles including a dog van" rushing to the scene just before lunchtime. |
| A police van blocked the access road to the property. | |
| Llangeitho, which is around two miles away from the scene, is 15 miles south of Aberystwyth, near Tregaron, and is surrounded by farmland. | Llangeitho, which is around two miles away from the scene, is 15 miles south of Aberystwyth, near Tregaron, and is surrounded by farmland. |
| There is a church, pub and shop within the village. | There is a church, pub and shop within the village. |
| Are you in the area? Did you witness anything? Send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you in the area? Did you witness anything? Send us your experiences using the form below. |
| If you have any pictures of the scene, you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk | If you have any pictures of the scene, you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |