DRUGS and a firearm were seized by police patrolling Southall Park on Tuesday evening (16).

Officers were in the park at around 8.30 as part of the Met's proactive approach to policing open spaces.

They spotted two men, both aged 23, who were sat on a bench acting suspiciously. When they were approached by plain-clothes officers, both men ran off.

They were chased and detained near the Uxbridge Road.

A search of the men found 100 wraps of class A drugs. One had a rucksack in which officers found a live gun with ammunition.

Both were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and one with having the weapon.

Both men were taken to a London police station where they remain.

Acting Insp Jake Albon-Massey said: "This is a fantastic example of how officers used their judgement and powers to detain and search two men who could have presented a danger to the public.

“Plain-clothes and uniformed officers are regularly out in parks and will continue to crack down on drug dealing, violence and other offences.”