(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
A County Durham family say they're getting "funny looks" and have been left scared in their own home after it was surrounded by armed police.
Liam McCarthy was away in Blackpool when neighbours contacted him to say gun-toting officers had surrounded his home on Hutton Court in Annfield Plain.
While police did not enter and left when they realised a wanted person was not there, Liam says his terrified wife - who was home with their three-year-old daughter and four-week-old baby - has been left on edge whenever a door slams.
Meanwhile, the electric and plumbing business owner says their toddler is scared to sleep in her own bedroom and feels people have been "looking at us funny".
Durham Police said no wanted person was found and apologised for any distress caused, but said they have a duty to protect the public and attempt to bring offenders to justice.
The moment armed police surrounded the 'wrong' home in Annfield Plain while children were inside
(Image: PROVIDED)
Liam, 25, said: “I was away at Blackpool when I was contacted by neighbours to say my house was surrounded.
“My wife, three-year-old daughter, and four-week-old baby were inside, so I rang 999 to tell them my babies were in there and they had the wrong house.
Liam McCarthy of Hutton Court, Annfield Plain believes his home was 'wrongly' surrounded by armed police while his wife and children were inside
(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)
“I think my neighbours also went over to say and police eventually stood down.
“My wife saw all the masked men getting out of the cars with guns and now anytime she hears anything she gets scared and has to look out the window in case they are all back.
“My little girl is still panicking now and won’t go into her own bedroom.
“I haven’t heard anything else from the police, so I just want an apology.
"I don’t want people looking at us funny now because they think we have done something wrong.
“The amount of people who have seen them here and could make assumptions is not great for us.
“So I want to set the record straight, as we feel people have been looking at us funny and my wife doesn’t dare leave the house right now.
The moment armed police surrounded the 'wrong' home in Annfield Plain while children were inside
(Image: PROVIDED)
Liam fears what could have happened if his daughter had seen the officers through the window.
He added: “My little girl, who is classed as disabled, with partial hearing, could’ve easily come down the stairs for a snack in her own home and seen a man with a gun outside the windows.
"I can’t imagine what would of happened if they broke their way in and got into the house.
Liam McCarthy of Hutton Court, Annfield Plain believes his home was 'wrongly' surrounded by armed police while his wife and children were inside
(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)
"My children and my wife would have been scarred.”
The family’s home is on a main road and Liam says the number of people who witnessed the armed police operation has added to the family’s concerns about what neighbours and passers-by may think about him and his emergency electrical repairs business. RMM Maintenance.
“It has really caused us all distress, it shouldn’t have happened," he said.
A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: "Officers searching for a wanted individual were carrying out enquiries in the Annfield Plain area on August 8.
"As part of those enquiries, armed response officers attended an address on Hutton Court.
"No response was received by the occupants, and no entry was made to the address.
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"Once further enquiries had been made and officers had satisfied themselves that the wanted individual was not present, they left the area.
"We appreciate that any police attendance can be unsettling, particularly where families and young children are involved, and we apologise for any distress caused to those affected.
"However, officers have a duty to pursue all appropriate lines of enquiry when responding to serious incidents to protect the public and bring offenders to justice."