FOUR people have been released under investigation following raids at three properties in West Cumbria.

Cumbria police have confirmed that four of the five people arrested on Friday after raids by armed police at properties on Casson Road and Newlands Gardens in Workington, and near Great Clifton, have been released.

The people arrested were a 27-year-old woman from Liverpool, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and failing to appear at court; three people – a 38-year-old man, a 36-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl, all from Workington – arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender; a 38-year-old man from Liverpool arrested on suspicion of assault GBH, two counts of possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled drug.

A spokesman for Cumbria police said four people had been released and the man from Merseyside "was taken from our custody into the custody of Merseyside Police relating to offences on them."

Police said the armed officers had been deployed solely as a precaution and there was no perceived threat to the public.