TWO brothers who were arrested following an armed police operation in a North-East town have been released.

The men, aged 34 and 33, were freed on police bail yesterday following questioning.

Twenty officers, including some with firearms, surrounded a house in Brougham Street, in the North Road area of Darlington, on Thursday evening, for three hours. The operation followed information that a firearm was being kept in the house illegally.

The men were arrested and a handgun was recovered and has since been sent for specialist examination.

A Durham Police spokes-man said the incident was part of an ongoing police inquiry