Panic on Oxford Street amid false reports of gunfire

Armed police were called to Oxford Street in London after panicked shoppers thought they heard gunshots on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

One woman was hurt in a fall and a large window was broken at a House of Fraser department store after bargain-hunters rushed outside. The Metropolitan Police said there was no evidence of any gunshots.

It comes a month after nervous shoppers fled the Oxford Circus shopping area after reports of gunfire during the Black Friday sales, which also turned out to be a false alarm.

Tweeters reported “panic on Oxford Street as ‘hundreds run and scream’ after reports of an incident” .

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Police said: “Local officers and armed officers are on scene in Oxford Street, W1. They responded to reports of shots heard. Nothing to indicate shots fired. One woman with non-life-threatening injuries as a result of a fall.”

Shoppers also fled the Westfield Stratford City shopping mall after a brawl broke out.

Police dispersed the groups that were causing the disturbance and a man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, a police spokesman said.

– Guardian service