A tense stand-off between police and a man who has barricaded himself into a house has moved into its second day.
Police have been trying since yesterday to persuade Maurice Kellett, 63, who is armed with a sword, has doused himself with petrol and is threatening to kill himself, to come out of the house in Hetton-le-Hole, Co Durham.
Today, a half-mile section of the road was closed off and rush-hour traffic was being diverted.
Police spent the night negotiating with the man in sub-zero conditions.
The siege started at 1.37am when two police officers accompanied bailiffs to the house in Colliery Lane on the Lyons estate.
The man refused to let the bailiffs into the house and barricaded the front door with furniture.
Then the horrified police officers and bailiffs heard him say he was dousing himself with petrol and saw him wielding a sword.
Scores of officers were sent to the spot and secured the area.
Firefighters and paramedics were ordered to the scene in case the man carried out his threat to set himself on fire. They were still there today.
Det Chief Insp Dave Byrne, of Washington area command, said today: "No one else is in the house and no one else has been affected by the situation.
"None of the neighbours has had to be moved out.
"We've secured the area and we have specially-trained police negotiators talking to the man in an attempt to persuade him to let the bailiffs into the house with the officers and serve the eviction notice.
"There are no armed police at the scene and our intention is to effect a peaceful and safe conclusion to this situation."
