Armed police swooped after receiving reports of five men seen brandishing rifles close to a Chorley high school.

The alert was raised by worried workmen after they were confronted by the gun-wielding gang on Burgh Lane.

Hundreds of children leaving Holy Cross RC High School were caught up in the drama as the incident unfolded at around 3.20pm on Monday. An armed response unit from Lancashire Police attended the scene, along with other officers and arrested the five men. The rifles were later found to be airguns.

One 14-year-old Holy Cross pupil, who was setting off to walk home from school, said: "We were told by teachers and police to stand against a wall inside the school grounds.

"We were delayed for about five minutes. When we were allowed out on to Burgh Lane there were police, some with guns, lining the street.

"Behind us I could see a man being pinned against the wall and handcuffed by other police officers."

His mother, who did not wish to be named, said: "I took a call from my son at about 3.30pm saying there had been some kind of firearms incident as he was leaving school.

"I was alarmed, but it sounds as if the police and the staff at the school did a very professional job in handling the situation."

A spokesperson for Holy Cross RC High School said: "The incident was not connected to the school in any way. It was handled by the police very quickly and all the children leaving on Monday behaved very responsibly and calmly.

"A small group of pupils were escorted by senior staff to The Bowers exit of the school to avoid the area of the incident."

Police confirmed the men were first sighted by contractors working on fields close to Little Carr Lane, who were abused by the men.

A police spokesperson said: "The men approached another group of workmen on Burgh Lane and took a high visibility jacket from a from them.

"As is the case for all reports involving firearms, an armed response unit was sent to deal with the incident."

A 27-year-old man from the Chorley area remains in police custody under suspicion of firearms offences and being drunk and disorderly.

Four other men arrested, all in their twenties, were questioned and released without charge.