Car 'forces way through gates' at RAF base as gunshots fired

Military personnel fired gunshots after a driver attempted to ram the gates. 

A man was then detained with cuts and bruises and taken into custody.

Suffolk Police earlier said officers were responding to reports of a "significant incident at RAF Mildenhall".

Flights in and out of the base were temporarily suspended.

Senior Master Sergeant Brian Boisvert said: "We are working right now in partnership with Suffolk Police to make sure we have a good working relationship, to make sure this incident is taken into account, and that everyone remains safe.

"Things are not back to normal prior to what happened but we are no longer in lockdown."

"At approximately 14:35 we were released from lockdown and an all clear was given and then we went into recovery emergency operations."

It is currently not being treated as a terror incident and no other injuries were reported. 

The BBC’s Home Affairs Correspondent Daniel Sanford earlier tweeted: “The early indications are that someone tried to drive onto the base and was stopped at the gate, and has been arrested.

“People nearby heard gunshots.”

American children at a nearby play area in the village “suddenly left” after the incident.

A staff member at Jumppin Jacks Funhouse said: “All the American children playing here suddenly left, but we didn’t hear anything or know why.”

The incident is now under control and the base is no longer on lockdown, a spokesman for the base confirmed. 

A brief statement on the base's Facebook page said: "RAF Mildenhall locked down at 1pm today following reports of a disturbance on base.

"The base was locked down and emergency personnel are responding to the situation.

"Additional details will be provided as they become available."

Last year Junead Khan was convicted for planning a terror attack on US military personnel having apparently scouted out RAF Mildenhall as a target.

The delivery driver drove close to several bases operated by the US, his trial was told.