Residents of a Russian town invaded by polar bears have said they are taking children to school by car and patrolling the streets with stun grenades as they wait for bear experts to arrive.

Nadezhda Kireyeva, a postal worker in the Arctic military town of Belushya Guba, told The Telegraph that locals have taken precautions against attack while trying to continue with their daily lives, even though coming face-to-face with a polar bear incites a mix of “adrenaline, terror and the question of what to do”. She recently saw a group of seven bears on the street.

According to Ms Kireyeva, the town's 2,000 residents have become more vigilant and don't go outside alone. Despite the short distances, cars have been organised to bring employees to work and children to school. Soldiers are under orders to move around only in vehicles.

An employee of the local administration told The Telegraph that security personnel were “patrolling constantly,” and there were currently no bears in populated areas. He admitted, however, that the situation was changing frequently.

“The more bears, the more patrols,” he said, declining to give his name.

The groups typically fire shots into the air, set off stun grenades or chase bears away with large vehicles.