ROOF tiles were thrown at police after a man climbed on top of a house and refused to come down.

Officers sealed off Thorntree Terrace, in East Stanley, County Durham, fearing residents could be injured.

The incident began at 10am yesterday.

The 21-year-old, from Stanley, took to the roof after police were called following a suspected domestic incident.

About ten officers were called, and trained negotiators spent four-and-a-half hours trying to persuade the man to come down.

One resident said: “I first realised something was happening when I saw police out the front. There was an ambulance there and I thought someone had taken ill, but then I saw someone on the roof. You do not normally see anything like this around here.”

Another said: “It is like something you see on the television.

He has been pulling the tiles off and throwing them at the police. It is crazy.”

Crowds gathered to watch the man, who sat bare-chested.

Friends and relatives feared he might slip and fall as he walked up and down the slope of the roof to stretch his legs.

At times he sat close to the edge.

Inspector Eddie Bell, of Durham Police, said: “People were kept away to stop the locals baiting him because it was annoying him and stopping him coming down.

“But the officers were professional throughout and did their job very well. It was brought to a satisfactory conclusion.”

The man surrendered to police at about 2.30pm.

A group of children cheered as he was led away in handcuffs and put into the back of a police car.

■ A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and failing to surrender to custody. He was last night being questioned by police.