A father-of-two spoke The Courier from inside his locked home in the Northumberland village of Rothbury as police continued their manhunt for suspected gunman Raoul Moat.
Peter Walklett, who works from home delivering computer software support, had lived in Balmullo in north-east Fife for a number of years.
He now lives in Rothbury with his wife Helen and children Kate (8) and Eleanor (4).
The once-peaceful village has been the focus for police as they attempt to trace Moat.
But as police step up efforts to find the man, there is a mixed feeling of fear and novelty among residents, according to Mr Walklett.
“The amount of police is enormous and I can tell from looking at their badges that they are from all over.
“There has been a police helicopter in the sky all day.
“Officers have told us to stay inside and lock windows and doors, so that is what we have done,” he said.
The family home is on the south side of the village and was only a stone’s throw away from where the abandoned car of Raoul Moat was discovered by police.
“From our window you can see the woods where police believe he was,” continued Mr Walklett.
“We keep chickens in a field and usually go out at night to put them to bed, but police have told us not to do that tonight, especially if we go out there with a torch.”
The routine school run was disrupted yesterday when armed officers stopped and searched Mr Walklett’s vehicle as he went to pick up his children from Rothbury First School.
“I usually arrive at the school around 3.15pm, but didn’t get back until after 6pm.
“The girls were a bit upset. The little one didn’t like seeing the police standing with guns.”
The family planned to stay indoors and await further instructions from the police.