A POLICE training exercise was the reason for an alleged dramatic showdown between police and what looked like two offenders last week.

An eyewitness, who was walking along the riverside in Newnham, contacted the Review and said: “Last Tuesday afternoon I was out for a peaceful walk when I was astonished and wary to see a number of police squad cars, several officers shouting at – I think two men – in the car park.

“They were telling them to ‘get down!’ The men were wearing hoodie-like grunge clothing and shouted back waving their arms.

“I walked as far away as possible up the riverbank and attempted to move an elderly couple away from the area. There were no notices from the police although afterwards I heard a man say to people before this scene – ‘don’t worry police training’.

“I walked away then caught the bus. At the Awre turning, more police had gathered in front of another man standing with his arms up. It was bizarre and evidently it was several police training exercises. These are terrifying to see.

“If you just walk in on a scene of violence and have a weak heart you may have had a heart attack. As a retired training and development professional who visited Hendon Police College many years ago – I wish them very well and am sure this is a worthwhile exercise. But perhaps warning notices please? Or at least an officer standing nearby to warn the public of a nervous disposition that it’s not a real situation.”

Gloucestershire Police said there was no information appearing on its system, suggesting it may have been a training exercise or a pre-planned arrest.

•Eyewitnesses said there was a further ‘training exercise’ in Newnham-on-Severn on Tuesday.