A man handed himself in to Motueka police last night after an armed offenders squad callout the night before in Christchurch.

Police were called to a house in Edgeware following reports of a domestic incident about 11.20pm on Saturday.

A 44-year-old man allegedly presented a pistol at the attending officers. Although no shots were fired, the man managed to flee the scene before members of the armed offenders squad arrived.

An air pistol was found at the house, and police believed the man was no longer armed.

Nearby resident Adam Carville said he tried to get to his home in Edgeware Rd about 3am yesterday, but found the street cordoned off and armed police in the area.

He was told he could not go home and had to spend about an hour at a nearby petrol station until the cordon was taken down.

The cordon was about 200 to 300 metres wide, with about 10 other people also stopped from going back to their homes. Carville said police were still in the area yesterday afternoon, but residents had not been told what was going on.

Armed police were standing outside one house in Springfield Rd, where the windows had been smashed and furniture thrown outside, he said.

Police said the man presented himself at the Motueka Police Station at 8.45pm last night. He is to appear in Nelson District Court today on charges relating to the Christchurch incident.

- © Fairfax NZ News