Guns and blasts at former prison spark fear and anger

Reports of several explosions and men wielding guns during a private event at a former prison prompted "terrified" residents to call police and their MP.

Neighbours said they were given no warning about the activity at Dana prison in Shrewsbury, on 9 July and, for several hours, were left unsure whether it was a training exercise, a film shoot or a genuine emergency.

Residents reported seeing several men on the roof, including one person carrying what appeared to be an automatic weapon.

Cove Attractions, which was running the event, said it was a "planned and controlled exercise". But one resident said they usually get told in advance of such events, something that did not happen this time.

West Mercia Police confirmed it had received calls about the event.

Other neighbours who spoke to the BBC did not want to give their names, but reported hearing explosions which echoed across the neighbourhood and seeing armed men on the prison roof.

One woman said the first blast was heard at about 19:00 BST, bringing people out of their homes.

Three more explosions went off at about 23:00 and woke her children, she added.

"When I looked out of the window, there were people running up the street, trying to work out what was going on," she said.

A man who witnessed the activity said a figure appeared on the skyline carrying what looked like an automatic weapon.

"It was quite prominent because he was standing on the roof close to the residential area," he said.

Another said that shortly after 21:00 she saw four men standing on the roof.

One was "parading up and down" holding what appeared to be a gun, while another seemed to be wearing a flak jacket, she said.

Residents, she explained, have been accustomed to unusual activity at the former prison, which regularly hosts filming projects and special events.

"We know that production companies normally write to us beforehand and let us know when filming is taking place," she said.

Without any warning "it was quite scary," she added.

There had also been some "fairly ripe swearing" heard.

Another resident explained he had gone to the prison and asked staff for an explanation.

"I was informed it was some sort of exercise, that the police were aware and it was nothing to worry about," he said.

The Dana prison closed in 2013 and two years later opened as a tourist attraction, with the public able to take tours of the former cells.

Since then it has hosted a range of events and has been used as a filming location.

In a statement, Cove Attractions said it had been a "private booking" and the details of many events like this "must remain confidential".

"We want to reassure the local community that this was a planned and controlled exercise taking place entirely within the prison," it said.

"We understand that some local residents were concerned by the activity [which] formed part of a pre-booked private event that was safely managed, and there was no risk to the public. We are unable to comment further."

Alan Mosley, the Shropshire councillor representing the area, said he had made "significant representations" to Cove Attractions and hoped to arrange a meeting between the company and people in the area.

A residents' meeting on 10 July concluded the response from the firm had not been adequate.

It also said the activities had been "frightening, shocking and terrifying and not at all appropriate within a residential community".

A police spokesperson said: "The force had been made aware of the exercise at Shrewsbury Prison on the 9 July and we received one call around 11.10pm that evening from a concerned resident who lived on Victoria Street."

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