A HOAX call led to police raiding a care home in the early hours of the morning - and putting the owner's husband in handcuffs.

Staff and residents at Lynshaw care home on Hart Street, Carlisle, were left 'stunned' after police officers searched the building believing that someone had been taken hostage at knifepoint.

After searching the property and handcuffing Linda Henshaw’s husband - Michael Henshaw Smith - who was believed to be the suspect, police discovered that the initial report made over the phone had been a hoax call.

Mr Henshaw Smith was promptly released.

Describing the 'traumatic' moment, he said: “I have never been in trouble and have never had handcuffs on before.

“I still had my pyjama bottoms and dressing gown on. I was stunned.

“I really hope they can catch the person who did this. You can’t believe what’s happening at the time. You’re in a daze.”

Mrs Henshaw said she had 'no grievances against the police'.

"They were doing their job and I could well have been held at knife point," she said.

“The residents were alright in the end.

“The hoax call was a horrendous thing. Whoever did it should be totally ashamed of themselves.

“A lot of people know Michael. They know him to be the friendly person and he would never do anything like that.”

Police were called to a report of a hostage situation at 00:55am on July 15.

It was at approximately 10pm the night before when the Henshaws started receiving 'non-stop' phone calls from an anonymous caller to the property.

Mrs Henshaw said they decided to take the phone off the hook to put a stop to the persistent calls.

When the police knocked on the door, she said she saw 'three massive police vans outside'.

It was believed the first knock on the door was just 'some drunk kids' before the knocking started to get louder.

She added: “They started really banging on the door. It was like something off the television.

“I thought I as going to get some bad news. We opened the door, he [Michael] was asked to step outside and got handcuffed. It was frightening.

“My heart was going.

“Police officers were going up and down stairs, going in residents’ bedrooms and wardrobes. I was worrying about the residents. They must have been wondering what was going on."

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: “Police attended in an emergency capacity and carried out urgent enquiries to identify any criminality. Whilst investigations were conducted, a man in his 60’s who was described as the suspect in the initial report, was handcuffed.

“Following a police investigation of the property, the call was identified as a hoax. The man was promptly released.

“There were no injuries.

“Following this incident a report of harassment was made. The report was of repeated unwanted calls being made to an individual.

“Enquiries are ongoing."