Police ‘stand-off’ sparks mass street evacuation
RESIDENTS on a quiet street were forced to leave their homes for hours while police negotiated with one of their neighbours during a ‘stand-off.’
Police were called to ‘reports of concern for a man in a property’ on Basil Street in Heaton Norris, Stockport, shortly before 9.30pm on Wednesday.
Specialist officers spent the night negotiating with a man before they went inside and arrested a 45-year-old at around 5.30am.
Neighbours said an upstairs window at the property was smashed and furniture had been thrown down onto the street.
A man was heard shouting about Lockerbie, the Queen, Gaddafi and ‘snipers,’ witnesses said.
People in six neighbouring houses were asked to leave by police as there was a smell of gas. Engineers were sent to isolate the supply to the property.
Some people said they had to stand in the street for hours, sit in the back of an ambulance, or take shelter at a nearby 24-hour McDonald’s before they were told it was safe to return home.
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s been going for two nights really. There was really loud music playing on Tuesday night.
“Then we could hear things being smashed.
“It literally sounded as if someone was trying to smash through a wall.
“When the police turned up last night [a man] wouldn’t let them in and basically had a stand-off with the police.
“He was shouting about Lockerbie and snipers, which was quite worrying.”
GMP said a man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated criminal damage. He has since been taken to hospital for assessment.
Anyone with information should call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.