POLICE have warned of the dangers of hoax calls after an armed response team was deployed to Hull's Beverley Road.
An investigation has been launched after the caller wasted police time on Thursday night and diners were ordered to stay in a nearby restaurant for their own safety.
Armed response officers were sent to the St Leonard's Road area after the man called police just before 8.30pm.
He reported threats to kill were being made to a woman by a man in a communal area at an address in the road.
It was later revealed to be untrue after an armed response unit was deployed, along with support from the Humberside Police helicopter and dog handlers.
Daniel Cuffe, 20, was looking after his six-month-old daughter when police burst into the block of flats where he lives.
He said: "There were all these police officers and they raided every room but there was nobody there.
"It's a good job my daughter isn't older because she would have been frightened."
Chief Inspector Ed Cook said: "A thorough investigation will commence into the source of the hoax call, given the fear it caused to the general public and the significant amount of police resources used.
"Making hoax calls such as this and wasting police time is a serious offence that can lead to a prison sentence."
A number of roads the area were cordoned off as a precaution and diners in the nearby Raj Pavilion restaurant were asked to remain inside.
Mail reporter Ellie Newton-Syms, was dining at Raj Pavilion at the time.She said: "The officer guarding the door would not reveal what was going on outside but said the door must remain locked and no one was allowed to leave.
"We were locked in for about an hour before police started escorting people to their cars if they were parked across the road or if they were heading north on Beverley Road. However, my car was parked further away so the police would not let me go at this point and would not let me stand outside.
"The restaurant was quite busy and, although everyone was calm, we were quite concerned about the situation.
"Everyone was happy to leave once we were allowed to do so and as we left, ambulances and a number of police vehicles remained at the scene."
Roads were reopened and patrols stood down at about 10.45pm after the alleged victim was located and was unaware of any threats.
Anyone who has any information, or knows the identity of the caller, should call 101, referring to log 682 of April 18.
