Post by Cullyn Of Cerrmor on Dec 31, 2008 9:11:40 GMT 9.5
Hostages held in NSW siege: report
10:00 AEST Wed Dec 31 200839 minutes
Police have cordoned off a house on the NSW North Coast where a gunman is reportedly holding hostages.
The man is believed to have taken hostages at the home on Stuarts Point Road, Stuarts Point, after being chased by police at 5.30am, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Are you there? Do you have more information or photos? Tell us now.
Officers have surrounded the house and blocked off the street at the Pacific Highway between Kempsey and Macksville.
Residents in the street have also been evacuated.
A police spokeswoman said the situation was "extremely volatile".
"I heard a police siren about 5.45am and then heard the first shot," resident Burna Orton told ninemsn.
"It woke me up — I was scared, thinking 'how unusual'.
"I heard a second shot not long after that and that's when police arrived and told us to stay inside."
Mrs Orton said the police operation was still in progress and that police had told residents on the street to stay away.
Another local who lives at a farm on Stuarts Point Road said she heard shots earlier this morning but that it wasn't unusual.
"There are foxes, chickens, people kill their cows around here to hang for food - it's not unusual to hear," she said.
The neighbours also said they heard shots fired earlier this morning, she said.
Alma Pritchard, who works at a real estate agent just off Stuarts Point Road, said police were keeping tight-lipped about the operation.
"My husband had to come along Stuarts Point Road and was turned away — they said he couldn't continue but they refused to tell him why," Ms Pritchard said.
"They said that section of the road would be closed for the rest of the day."
Stuarts Point is a small fishing town about 470km north of Sydney and is popular among surfers and campers for its mix of rivers, beaches and bushland.
10:00 AEST Wed Dec 31 200839 minutes
Police have cordoned off a house on the NSW North Coast where a gunman is reportedly holding hostages.
The man is believed to have taken hostages at the home on Stuarts Point Road, Stuarts Point, after being chased by police at 5.30am, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Are you there? Do you have more information or photos? Tell us now.
Officers have surrounded the house and blocked off the street at the Pacific Highway between Kempsey and Macksville.
Residents in the street have also been evacuated.
A police spokeswoman said the situation was "extremely volatile".
"I heard a police siren about 5.45am and then heard the first shot," resident Burna Orton told ninemsn.
"It woke me up — I was scared, thinking 'how unusual'.
"I heard a second shot not long after that and that's when police arrived and told us to stay inside."
Mrs Orton said the police operation was still in progress and that police had told residents on the street to stay away.
Another local who lives at a farm on Stuarts Point Road said she heard shots earlier this morning but that it wasn't unusual.
"There are foxes, chickens, people kill their cows around here to hang for food - it's not unusual to hear," she said.
The neighbours also said they heard shots fired earlier this morning, she said.
Alma Pritchard, who works at a real estate agent just off Stuarts Point Road, said police were keeping tight-lipped about the operation.
"My husband had to come along Stuarts Point Road and was turned away — they said he couldn't continue but they refused to tell him why," Ms Pritchard said.
"They said that section of the road would be closed for the rest of the day."
Stuarts Point is a small fishing town about 470km north of Sydney and is popular among surfers and campers for its mix of rivers, beaches and bushland.