Drama in Maldon as police swamp town - but no word as yet from police on nature of incident

Maldon was swamped with police today as an apparent search was underway.

Police vehicles on blue lights were seen heading on the A12 in a north-eastern direction in the Brentwood area just after 4pm, today, February 21 2025.

They were soon followed by a helicopter from the Met Police area seen heading in the same direction from Noak Hill, near Romford, east London.

It made its way to Chelmsford, where the chopper circled many times, before continuing onto Maldon, Essex, at about 4.39pm.

It hovered over the town and there was also reportedly a large police presence in the town.

One witness said she had never seen so many "police vehicles, vans and dog units flying around the town."

This view was echoed on local Facebook groups with some posters saying they believed they were hunting "someone on foot" and that exits to some roads "had been blocked."

A female officer with a dog was seen doing a search in Park Drive, near the Promenade (below).

Earlier in the day, at 2.50pm, the Essex Air Ambulance landed in a field off Limebrook Way and Fambridge Road.

It is not known if the incidents were connected.

Essex Police has released no information about the incident and local media outlets have not reported on it either.

The Met Police, Essex Police, the National Air Police Service and Essex Air Ambulance have all been contacted for comment.

We will update the report once more is known.