Gunman shot dead by police near Liz Hurley's home

London, May 7 : A gunman was killed by police last night after a five-hour stand-off in one of London's poshest areas, where reside the likes of showbiz stars like Liz Hurley and Mick Jagger and footballers.

The standoff at Markham Square, just off King's Road in Chelsea began when the man started terrifying pedestrians by firing a shotgun from a 3 million pound flat.

A trained negotiator was sent in to try to convince the man to give up as a nerve-racking standoff developed.

The climax is thought to have taken place around 9.30 pm when loud bangs were heard coming from the area were the siege was taking place.

There were three separate bursts of firing, before the man was hit by police marksmen.

Police then stormed the flat, smashing off the door hinges with a spring-loaded battering ram and throwing stun grenades inside.

Witnesses reported hearing around six small explosions come from the building.

The half-naked man was brought out into the street, where paramedics tried to revive him with CPR as he lay on a stretcher.

However, he was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was taken away in an ambulance.

He was not holding any hostages in the flat and nobody else was injured.

Later, the Independent Police Complaints Commission launched an inquiry into the matter.

"We believe he was killed by a bullet from a police gun fired in response to him shooting at officers," The Sun quoted a source, as saying.

A resident of the area said: "We're all absolutely petrified. We can't believe this has happened in a place like this."

ANI