Armed police surrounded a house in East Sussex during a two-hour siege last night after a doctor was threatened with a gun.

The GP went to visit a patient at 5pm at a council house in Gordon Road, Buxted, near Crowborough.

There was a disagreement during which the doctor was threatened. He fled and called the police, who saw a 34-year-old man in the street brandishing a gun.

When he retreated to the house, officers sealed off the street and told neighbours to remain indoors while trained negotiators and the GP spoke to him.

Police surrounded the house and after two hours the man agreed to give himself up. The house was searched and an air rifle found.

The man, who is believed to have had domestic problems, was arrested and taken to Eastbourne for further questioning.

Inspector Tony McCarthy said: "The man was arrested for an alleged offence under the Firearms Act."

A police spokesman said: "We adopted a softly-softly approach."