An armed police siege at a normally-tranquil country caravan park came to a peaceful end today after more than 12 hours of negotiations.

The operation came to an end without a shot being fired when two men were escorted from their isolated caravan at about 10.30am.

One was promptly arrested in connection with the incident and a firearm was recovered from inside the mobile home.

The drama began at about 10pm on Monday when officers went to arrest a man from the Ponderosa Caravan Park on Goose Lane near Sutton-on-the-Forest, a few miles to the north of York.

Acting Superintendent Barry Honeysett said: "When the officers arrived, the man concerned closed the door on them and refused to come out.

"Officers believed he had a firearm and withdrew."

An armed police team was then rushed to the scene and about 20 black-clad officers, some with automatic weapons and all wearing flak-jackets and protective helmets, surrounded the green-and-white caravan.

The occupants of several mobile homes parked nearby were also evacuated from the area and taken to a local community centre.

Two men were inside the caravan at the time and at the time it was unclear where one was being held hostage by the other.

The armed stand-off continued through the night and into the morning. "The idea was to get the people out safely," said a police spokesman.

As the morning wore on police brought the solicitor of the man they had originally arrived to arrest to the scene an a short while later, at about 10.30am, two men came out of the caravan.

One was arrested in connection with the incident and taken to the Fulford Road police station in York while the other was taken away for a debriefing interview.

"We are trying to establish the facts as to whether he was free to leave the caravan," said the spokesman.

When the siege came to an end police officers searched inside the mobile home and recovered a firearm which was then taken away to be examined by experts.