A POLICE helicopter was drafted in as part of a four-hour long stand-off which saw a man stage a rooftop protest in south-west Burnley.

Police say tiles were thrown from the roof of a property in Burdett Street, off Accrington Road, during an incident which originally began at around 7.30pm.

Officers had been searching for a 25-year-old Burnley man who was wanted on a warrant for recall to prison, where he had been serving a sentence for a burglary offence.

But the incident became more serious at around 10.40pm when the suspect managed to climb onto the roof of the terraced property. He is understood to have reached the roof via a loft space in the home below.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “The man was on the roof and started throwing roof tiles at the police and vehicles down below.

“A cordon was put in place and negotiators were sent to the scene. He was spoken to during the course of the night and shortly after 1am he came down and was arrested.”

Police have confirmed that the man, who has not been named, was detained on suspicion of causing criminal damage and affray, as well as the original warrant.