ARMED police officers closed a major thoroughfare in Burnley to arrest three men accused of threatening a woman with a gun.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation after a 46-year-old Bury woman was allegedly threatened on her doorstep.

Police said the woman, thought to be the mother of a man the men were demanding to see, told them her son was not at home before being threatened last Thursday morning.

The men left the woman’s property, shortly after 10.30am in a Vauxhall Astra.

Police traced the car to an address in Colne before calling in Lancashire Constabulary’s Armed response Unit.

Officers eventually tracked the vehicle to Todmorden Road, Burnley before making high profile arrests in the street on Thursday afternoon.

Three large police vehicles blocked the road as officers searched the car and three men were handcuffed and detained.

Police said three men aged between 20 and 21 were arrested by Lancashire police on suspicion of using a firearm with intent to cause fear.

Police said a 21-year-old Nelson man has since been eliminated from the investigation.

Two 20-year-old men have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Anyone with information should call Bury CID on 0161 856 8199 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.