A COLLEGE was put 'on lockdown' this afternoon after reports of a gunman in the area.

It follows reports of a man seen with an air rifle at a block of flats in Blackbird Leys.

Thames Valley Police received a report of a shot being fired near to Cuddesdon Way, Oxford, at 12.19pm today, according to the force's Twitter page.

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The Tweet added: "Officers are in the area of Cuddesdon Way and Blackbird Leys Road conducting enquiries. There are no cordons or road closures in place and no-one has been injured."

Staff at a nearby company were alerted via text to stay clear of the area.

It said: "There has been an incident at Evenlode Tower at Blackbird Leys. We strongly urge all staff to avoid the area until further notice."

Social media users also reported that the City of Oxford College Blackbird Leys campus next door was 'on lockdown'.

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Another also said the college was on lockdown due to a 'shooter'.

Christopher Kearney, a spokesman for Activate Learning, which runs the college, confirmed that it has since reopened.

He said: "Following reports of shots being fired in the Cuddesdon Way area of Blackbird Leys this afternoon, measures were taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and students at our technology campus.

"The site was temporarily closed while police initially responded, but following advice from officers on the scene, it has now been reopened."

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Residents of the flats said they heard a shot and saw the police surrounding the tower.

A man who lives at the flats said: “I heard a shot and then later heard a police siren and saw police surrounding the flats. An alarm went off at the college and there was a police van at the back of the college.”

A resident at the tower said: “I saw one police car before another arrived which left soon after as everything seemed to be under control. There were policemen talking to two residents in the lobby and I heard an alarm going off at the college behind the flats.”

The shopkeeper at Nisa Local said: “I didn’t hear or see anything but we’ve had lots of people coming in and asking about it.”

More as we have it.