Man quizzed after tense armed siege in Leintwardine

A 50-year-old man continued to be questioned by police today after an armed siege in Leintwardine which lasted for more than two hours.

A house in Rosemary Lane was cordoned off after more than 20 officers were called to the scene at about 7pm on Sunday.

It came after the man armed with an air rifle, threatened to kill himself and his partner. Armed police were on standby and a specialist police negotiator was also sent to the scene.

Villagers were told to remain indoors for their safety as the man was coaxed from the property by police officers, and word of the incident spread on social networking site Twitter.

After about two-and-a-half-hours of dialogue the man surrendered himself to police.

He was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and taken to Hereford Police Station, where he has been in custody and questioned by officers.

Chris Ammonds, spokesman for West Mercia Police, said a search of the property was carried out and an air weapon was recovered.

He said a 'significant number' of police officers had attended the scene because they had no confirmation if the reported weapon was an airgun or something more powerful.

Mr Ammonds said: "We were called to a domestic incident on Rosemary Lane in Leintwardine.

"Concerns were expressed about a man who may have had a firearm, reported to be an air weapon.

"The police responded with significant numbers because of the unconfirmed nature of reports concerning the air weapon.

"A police negotiator was called and armed police were put on standby.

At about 9.30pm the man left the property peacefully and was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and taken to Hereford Police Station.

"After the man had been arrested a search of the property was completed by police who recovered an air weapon."