Essex Police attend 'knifepoint robbery' at Loughton tube station

Police were called to Loughton underground station in Essex

Armed police arrested three boys after reports of a knifepoint robbery at an underground station.

Police said a teenage boy had been threatened with a blade at Loughton tube station in Essex.

Officers, including those armed and with Tasers, were called at 15:00 GMT on Thursday and seized three knives.

Three boys - aged 17, 15 and 14 - were arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and robbery, Essex Police said.

They were taken to custody and questioned about the alleged offences, before the investigation was handed over to British Transport Police (BTP).

Essex Police's Ch Insp Paul Austin said the arrests were made within 19 minutes of the officers being deployed to the Central line station.

"This incident will naturally have caused concern amongst the members of the public who witnessed the police response," he said.

"The stance we take on knife crime is consistent - we don't tolerate it in Essex and we will respond accordingly."