RESIDENTS were evacuated and a street cordoned off after a suicidal man fuelled by drink and pills threatened to ignite gas bottles in the loft of his home.

The one-hour alert at the terraced property in Kilburn Road, Radcliffe, came to an end when police officers and firefighters entered the house and found the man slumped inside. The man, who is in his 40s, was taken to Fairfield Hospital, Bury, suffering from an overdose. However, police say his condition does not give rise for concern. Tuesday's (Oct 2) drama happened at 11.40am when the man told police he had several bottles in his loft and threatened to ignite them. Officers summoned two fire appliances and a paramedic ambulance to the scene and closed off Kilburn Road at both ends.

And residents of around six neighbouring homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Initially, police had talked to the man via a telephone but later they were unable to raise him.

Officers then decided to enter the property to bring him out. Two police officers, accompanied by two firefighters with breathing apparatus, fire blankets and a hosereel, discovered the man in a state of near unconsciousness in the loft.

Fire crews then searched the property and found only one small gas bottle, used for a blowlamp, and the alert was called off.

A police spokesman said: "The man had been taking drink and and pills and he suffered an overdose. He was found in the loft.

"The homes nearby had been evacuated as a precaution because of the threats he had made.

"However, once we had ascertained that there was no danger, the residents were allowed to return."