Two women and four children were allegedly held in a flat during a standoff with police in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, this afternoon, and a man has been arrested.
Negotiators spoke to the man inside the ground floor flat as West Mercia Police cordoned off a street in the town.
A woman attempted to flee via an open window, but was pursued by another woman.
Four children were then handed out the window, one by one, to police, until the dad was apprehended and surrendered to officers.
According to witnesses, he was taken into custody without a struggle and transferred into a waiting police van.
A neighbour, who had been evacuated from her home and stood near the cordon in her dressing gown, said: ‘I really hope the children are okay, it’s an awful situation to put them in.’
West Mercia Police stated:
‘We are currently dealing with an incident at Catshill in Bromsgrove.
‘Officers remain at the scene and a cordon is in place.
‘Please avoid the area and we will provide further updates when we are able to.’