Police cordon off Invercargill streets

A residential area in northern Invercargill has been cordoned off by armed police following a "semi-domestic incident", police say.

Charles Street in the north Invercargill suburb of Waikiwi was in lockdown after a "purely precautionary callout", following the incident, police southern communications Inspector Warren Kemp told NZPA.

No firearms had been seen and no shots were fired, but it was believed a person at a house in the street may have access to weapons, he said.

No arrests had yet been made but police were still at the scene.

A woman who works at a business nearby said armed police are on the streets.

She said a customer told her that a man was threatening his partner with a baseball bat.

"But don't take that as Gospel," she said.

A resident nearby told Newstalk ZB that there are reports of someone in the area with a gun.

- NZ HERALD STAFF and NZPA