A 23-YEAR-OLD man was arrested after an almost two-hour stand off with police on the roof of a town centre store.

Officers said at 3.15am they received a call a man was on the roof of the Argos store in Accrington town centre throwing coins at people walking by.

Road closures were put in place in the town centre while police negotiated with the man.

The man managed to get inside the store and caused damaged to the store.

The 23-year-old man from Accrington was arrested on suspicion of burglary and is currently in custody.

A police spokesman said: "After receiving reports from a member of the public we attended and found a man with a balaclava on the roof.

"We received reports he was throwing coins at people walking by.

"An officer was negotiating with him and kept talking to him for a while.

"The man also managed to get inside the building and caused damaged to the staff kitchen area.

"He was arrested around 4.55am."

The police helicopter was deployed to help try and get the man to come down.

Firefighters from Hyndburn also attended the incident.

A fire service spokesman said: "We were called at around 4am to assist police.

"We helped them gain entry to the building."