A high-speed chase to catch a suspected armed robber sparked a large police operation late last night, with a helicopter called out and armed officers swooping on villagers’ gardens during a dramatic search.

Alarmed residents reported seeing up to 10 police cars and a helicopter in the Penn and Tylers Green area last night, as part of a widespread manhunt for an armed robber.

Motorway surveillance cameras spotted a vehicle which was understood to be used in an armed robbery in High Wycombe earlier this year driving along the M40 at about 9.30pm yesterday.

Road police chased the car from the motorway before they came to a stop in Hammersley Lane, near Penn, and continued a search for more than an hour.

Hammersley Lane.

The suspect “decamped from his vehicle” and officers later located a man and arrested him following a sustained search in woodland and nearby gardens, officers confirmed.

A 35-year-old man from London, arrested on suspicion of armed robbery, is currently in custody.

The arrest relates to an armed robbery in Church Street, High Wycombe, on April 29.

Thames Valley Police has been unable to confirm the circumstances of the robbery, but Priory Road and Castle Street were both closed for a number of hours on the day following reports of an attempted robbery.

Detectives refused to give more details about the incident at the time.

READ MORE HERE: Police close town centre road after attempted robbery

Earlier today, residents told the Bucks Free Press they spotted armed police in the area, while one couple who live in Hammersley Lane were left in shock when two police officers started searching their garden.

Paul Roff said: “The helicopter must have been circling for about half an hour, but it was only when we turned the telly off and were heading to bed when we saw the spotlight shining in our garden and neighbours field.

“We looked out of the window and two police officers jumped over our wall waving flashlights around in our garden.

“I didn’t really know if to go out there or not – we didn’t know who they were after. I did ask them what was going on and they said ‘it’s nothing to worry about, we’re police’, they then jumped back over the wall and were gone.

“I saw some other police officers on the other side of the wall too, but don’t know if they were armed.”

According to an @NPAS_Benson tweet, the suspect was located by police teams on the ground just over an hour after a pedestrian was spotted on the hard shoulder of the M40.

Did you see anything strange last night? Contact the Bucks Free Press on 01494 755089, email andrew.colley@london.newsquest.co.uk or comment below.