Officers have confirmed that the Lilac Avenue area was the scene of a firearms episode last Tuesday (September 30) - after a window was smashed by a gunman.

No-one was hurt but the move has sparked fear and alarm within this pocket of Abronhill - which has one of the most proactive neighbourhood watch groups in the town.

Despite an extensive police search the culprit remains at large - and there was a report of a car being torched as part of a revenge attack. There is also some suggestion that certain locations have been targeted by MISTAKE from individuals who do not live in Abronhill.

It is thought that this is the first time in as many as EIGHT YEARS that an incidents of this scale have taken place in this area which enjoys one of the lowest crime rates in Abronhill.

The surprising turn of events has already been highlighted in the pages of a Sunday newspaper and continues to spark comment in Abronhill as sniffer dogs and officers comb the area.

And reports of a further incident prompted officers to deploy a police helicopter on Sunday night - amidst fresh claims that a gunman was on the loose. However, we understand that claim was baseless and that the callout was sparked by a prankster - who could face severe penalties for wasting police time.

The News has heard that this unexpected upsurge in disorder is the result of a turf war between DRUG DEALERS - with police from outwith the area drafted in to keep the peace.

Chief Inspector Pat Mulrooney said: "As stated, we are conducting enquiries into a number of incidents. There is nothing to suggest that this is a turf war between drug dealers but we can't rule anything out as this stage of the enquiry.

"I have additional resources patrolling the area to provide the public with reassurance."

Meanwhile the chairman of the Lilac Neighbourhood Watch John McCafferty told how locals were struggling to come to terms with what had happened - but were remaining defiant in the face of it.

He said: "This is a great community and we have people working their butts off to make it a great place to live. I am so proud of them. We are not going to let people come in here and ruin that.

"I was told by two policeman last week that they could not believe something like this happened in our area - what I want to stress here that it is such a safe place.''

Councillor Elizabeth Irvine said: "I don't want to sensationalise what has gone on here. This is a very nice part of Abronhill.

"Over the years, Abronhill has got a lot of bad publicity that it doesn't deserve. Who is to say that it is people from Abronhill who are the cause of it?'' she added.

clare.grant@jnscotland.co.uk