A major incident took place in West Kilbride and Ardrossan this morning after a suspect threatened officers with a weapon before leading them on a chase to Ardrossan. 

The suspect attacked officers in Lawfield Avenue before crashing his car into another vehicle, injuring the driver of the other car. 

Police then tracked the suspect to Ardrossan, where the town's Academy was briefly locked down as the man was arrested with the help of the force helicopter.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 9.30am on Thursday June 22, police attended an address in West Kilbride as part of an ongoing police enquiry.

"A 35-year-old man at the address made off in a vehicle which was later involved in a road crash with another car on Chapelton Road.

“The man fled the scene and the 75-year-old male driver of the other car was taken by ambulance to Crosshouse Hospital.

"Following searches by officers assisted by the Air Support Unit, the 35-year-old man was traced and arrested a short time later on Barrie Terrace in Ardrossan.

“Enquiries are continuing.”

Sources have told the News that pupils at Ardrossan Academy were briefly locked down and unable to leave their classrooms while the police search was ongoing.

A brief police statement said: "Police would like to reassure parents that an ongoing incident near to Ardrossan Academy does not involve the school or any pupils attending."

North Coast councillor Todd Ferguson had earlier tried to shed some light on the situation in an online post. 

He said: "As many of you may be aware you’ll have seen on social media that there has been an ongoing police operation this morning in the local area between West Kilbride and Ardrossan.

"As part of this operation officers attended a house in Lawfield Avenue to speak with the occupant about an ongoing police enquiry.

"A male in the household threatened officers with a weapon before making off in a vehicle.

"The vehicle, in its haste, collided with another vehicle and that driver has been injured at Chapleton Road and is being treated by paramedics and specialist road policing officers.

"The police apprehended the male in Ardrossan and there is no ongoing or live threat to the public from these incidents.

"There will be significant police and partner activity in the area for the next few hours and disruption will be kept to a minimum."