POLICE are urgently appealing for information following reports that gunshots were fired in Hoyland last night.

Police were called at 9.59pm following reports that gunshots were fired on Cumberland Close in Hoyland and when officers attended, they found evidence consistent with a firearms discharge.

It is reported that prior to the shots being fired on Cumberland Close, there was an attempted aggravated burglary on Cumberland Road, where a group of armed men wearing balaclavas entered an address making demands. Two men were left with minor injuries and damage was caused to nearby properties and vehicles.

Police are treating the two incidents as linked.

A scene was put in place while officers conducted their work but has since been removed, and a number of enquiries are currently being carried out by detectives.

Police are now urging anyone with information to get in touch with them immediately.

T/DI Claire Moss, the officer leading the investigation into the firearm discharge, said: "Our officers are working around the clock to establish what happened yesterday evening, and we encourage anyone who has any information that they think might help to come forward.

“We take gun crime extremely seriously and it simply will not be tolerated. We are stronger with our communities’ help, and we are thankful for those who assisted our officers last night at the scene. To find those involved, the answer lies within our community and so we are urging anyone with information to come forward.

“You can also report anonymously through Crimestoppers if you would prefer not to talk to the police, as we understand not everyone feels comfortable in doing so. Everything reported through Crimestoppers is confidential, and you will not be identified.”

You can pass information to police by calling 101 or through their website https://orlo.uk/ZwS8B Please quote incident number 1051 of 19 May 2024 when you get in touch.

You can call Crimestoppers on their UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111 or complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at https://orlo.uk/5dn9M