Police have finished their search of land around a Suffolk parish council chairman’s cottage following his arrest on firearms offences, it was today confirmed.

Officers are no longer at the scene at the home of James Arnold in Potash Lane, Wyverstone, near Stowmarket, and the police cordon has been lifted, a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said.

Arnold is accused of possessing prohibited weapons. The charges are as a result of police going to his house on April 13 – almost four weeks ago.

The allegations against the 49-year-old relate to an Uzi machine gun, AK47 assault rifle, a bolt action shotgun and a self-loading rifled gun.

Arnold appeared via a prison video link from Belmarsh prison at a preliminary hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on April 24. The case was adjourned until July 25 for a plea and directions hearing.

Today, a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said: “Suffolk Constabulary can confirm that searches at an address in Potash Road, Wyverstone have now concluded.

“Police are no longer at the scene and the cordon has been lifted.

“We would like to thank local residents for their patience during this policing operation.”

It was earlier reported that, according to Suffolk Constabulary, the search of a cottage and four acres of land in Wyverstone has yielded a number of weapons.

Specialist search teams from the force, with the assistance of officers from the Metropolitan Police, searched the property.

A number of controlled explosions was carried out as a precautionary measure, police said during the search.