UPDATED 7.52pm: Anti-terrorism raids have been carried out in a quiet suburb of High Wycombe, north west of London, after a plot to blow up aircrafts.

Three homes in Micklefield and Totteridge were raided this morning by anti-terrorism officers from the Metropolitan Police.

Police were searching the houses in Micklefield Road, Hardenwaye and an area of woodland near Forest Way.

The areas were all cordoned off by police and large crowds of concerned neighbours gathered outside.

A forensic team appeared at a house in Hardenwaye at around 11am.

In Birmingham a finger-tip search is also underway at ACS Management Group, a small business below a flat in Belchers Lane, Yardley Green.

In total 24 people have been arrested across London, High Wycombe and Birmingham.

Home secretary John Reid said police believed the "main players" in the terror plot were in custody.

It has been reported that the majority of the arrested were British-born and of Pakistani origin.

Most of them are being held by anti-terror police at Paddington Green high security station in central London.

People in High Wycombe have been left in the dark as the officers carry out their investigation and many are calling for an explanation.

A 36-year-old single mum, living in Micklefield Road, said: "We don't know what is going on. The police won't tell us. I dread to think what has happened. When you live here you get to know something is up."

But Debbie Howleth, 45, a housewife from Hardenwaye, said: "We need police to deal with it straight away if something happens. They want to go in there and do their jobs first and then tell us afterwards that has to be their priority. There has to be some secrecy."