Police have been granted additional powers to stop and search after a knife was seen during an altercation in Ipswich. 

Officers were called to reports of an incident involving two groups of men at about 12.35am on Sunday in the vicinity of the Old Cattle Market and Dogs Head Street. 

It has been reported to police that during the altercation one man pulled out a knife, before concealing it again. 

He is believed to have run away with two other men in the direction of Lloyds Avenue. 

No one is believed to have been hurt during the incident and the knife was not used in any attack. 

As a result of this section 60 and section 60AA orders were put in place at 12.43am this morning covering the whole of Ipswich for a period of 24 hours. 

Officers are not treating this as a random incident and believe that the parties involved are known to each other.

While there is no perceived risk to the wider public, there is an increased risk of violence between parties either directly involved or associated with the incident.

Any witnesses, or anyone with information about the incident, is asked to contact Suffolk Police, quoting reference: CAD 20 of September 3.