ARMED police sealed off a road after a dad and his children were shot at in their car on a Hampshire housing estate.

Officers with guns cordoned off the cul-de-sac after the back window of the car was shattered by the shot.

The Ford Mondeo was full of passengers including two children aged seven and nine who had just been picked up from school.

Members of Hampshire police force support unit taped off the scene on the Millbrook estate in Southampton.

None of the occupants of the red estate car were injured during the shooting, which happened at about 3pm yesterday and is thought to have involved an air rifle.

One woman in her 30s was arrested by police. A man, also in his 30s, was led away in handcuffs.

Police searched the area for a weapon but are not believed to have recovered anything.

The car was taken away for forensic examination.

Officers then turned their attention further down the cul-de-sac, searching the road and gardens. They would not confirm what they were looking for but it is thought it was either a pellet or gun.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: "We were called to an address after reports that a car window had been shot out. We responded with an armed unit due to the allegation of a weapon being involved.

"No one was injured and none of the passengers or driver of the car needed treatment for shock.

"A woman has been arrested and we are in the process of conducting searches and interviewing witnesses to establish the sequence of events."

About a dozen police officers were at the scene, focusing first on the car and house.

A man in his 20s -- who did not want to be named -- said a man, woman and three children lived in the house.

"The husband and wife were both taken away by police. She was taken away at about 4pm and her husband about 45 minutes later," he said.

A second man was questioned at the scene.

Jacqui Baker, who lives in Barons Mead, said: "I was in the house at the time and looked out when the police arrived. I came out and the police wouldn't let me back in again. They shut off the whole road and wouldn't tell us anything."