A MAN has been arrested after a three and a half hour standoff with armed police in Dursley.

The siege started when a 39-year-old man called the police control room at 4am this morning and made “graphic” threats of harming the police and himself and claimed he had a weapon.

Gloucestershire Police responded by sending armed police and police officers to the block of flats the man was at on Victoria Close.

They evacuated residents from the building and cordoned off a number of nearby roads several hundred yards away, including Long Street and Lister Street, while negotiations took place.

The man eventually surrendered and was led out by a large group of police at 7.40am and was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill.

He was taken to a undisclosed police station.

A Gloucestershire Police spokesman said: “He rang us, our control room, so we sent armed officers to negotiate. He claimed to have a weapon.

“We evacuated the flats in the block and the man eventually gave himself up at 7.40am."

The spokesman said that no weapon had been discovered as yet and residents had been allowed back into their homes.

“The threats he made were quite graphic. It was a significant armed response,” he added.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, was woken by the police talking outside her door opposite the block of flats at around 5.45am during the siege.

Speaking to the Gazette, she said: “I saw three policemen with helmets and huge guns and a dog.

“It was very intimidating. They were talking on their walkie-talkies, standing there for an hour and a half.

“They were there for ages, I wondered what was going on.

“At one point they pointed their gun at the window.

“Suddenly all these policemen appeared from the house and this chap was led out. He was quiet, he didn’t struggle or anything.”