A TEARFUL boy caught up in a siege for nearly 11 hours was last night due to be reunited with his injured mother who had been stabbed earlier in the stand-off.

The 14-year-old left the house unharmed yesterday afternoon as a man gave himself up to armed police.

The drama began at 3am yesterday when the mother escaped from her home in County Durham after being stabbed in the leg. She was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Minutes later, police were called to the scene in Leadgate, near Consett, and John Piggins, 32, barricaded himself and the boy in the council house on Willow Crescent.

Trained police negotiators spoke to Mr Piggins through the early hours of the morning on the telephone, while armed officers waited outside watched by worried neighbours.

The siege ended in a moment of high drama shortly after 1.30pm when Mr Piggins walked with his hands high above his head after hugging the boy on the doorstep.

Police, some of whom had rifles trained on Mr Piggins, ordered him to kneel down and briefly searched him before hand-cuffing him and leading him away. Moments later the boy also walked out.

Inspector Ian Proud, who led the operation, said: "We had been very concerned for the boy and are pleased this has ended in a non-violent way."

One neighbour, who declined to be named, said: "It was like a scene from a movie, I just couldn't believe it was happening in my own street."

Another, Ken Ball, 73, said: "I was opposite and saw the whole thing unfold but, as time went on, it was obvious he was going to have to give himself up.

"The lad was crying which you can understand. There are a lot of older people on this side of the street for whom it was quite frightening."

Mr Piggins was being interviewed by police last night.