Armed police descend on Bullring in Birmingham Published duration 10 October 2013

image caption A large number of officers, some armed, surrounded the Bullring

Armed police descended on the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham following a tip-off from a member of the public.

A large contingent of officers congregated at the upper entrances to the centre, near the junction of New Street and High Street.

Officers were stationed around the centre and a force helicopter circled, but the Bullring itself remained open.

West Midlands Police said the deployment was "a precaution" but would not give details about the tip-off.

A number of police vehicles, marked and unmarked, remain around New Street and High Street.

The armed operation was announced by the force on its Twitter feed , leading to questions from other Twitter users about what prompted the deployment of armed police.