The 26-year-old was arrested at the end of a five-hour rooftop stand-off in Peterlee, County Durham, that started around 3.50pm on Tuesday.

Police said two men, aged 32 and 35, were struck by a car which was driven over a grassed area in Edenhill Road, while several others were forced to run out of the way.

The men were not seriously hurt. The car then crashed into a house.

It is understood another car was then taken.

• Witness tells of shocking events that led to man being arrested

Witness Trevor Simpson, 32, said: “I heard from a friend a car had crashed into a house in Little Eden.

“I went round to see a SEAT Leon had crashed into a house. The car was severely damaged. The window was broken. There was some structural damage to the house.

“I heard there were some armed response police at the nearby shops I made my way there and saw some armed response vehicles giving chase to a black Renault Clio in Edenhill Road.

"As the black Clio went past they put their blue lights and sirens on.”

A man entered a house on Barsloan Grove at around 4pm.

Mr Simpson said: “The Clio ended up at the top end of Peterlee in Barsloan Grove, where it was abandoned. A man climbed on top of the roof and started throwing tiles at the police.

“I made my way there where I saw him throwing tiles at the police and shouting obscenities at them.

“The police were standing a distance away from the house to avoid the tiles as they tried to negotiate with the man.

“I counted at least a dozen police cars. He wasn’t going to come down. I left the scene before it ended.”

Police at the scene. Picture: MADE IN TYNE AND WEAR

Two armed response units and police negotiators flooded the area along with firefighters, ambulances and the police helicopter.

A man, who lives on Barsloan Grove but did not wish to be identified, said: “He must have climbed out the window to get on the roof.

“He was throwing tiles off the top of the roof. We had a policeman in the garden with a dog and he was throwing tiles into there. He was smashing the patios.

“He was just stripping the roof. He was throwing the tiles at the police and their vehicles, smashing the windows of them. It was just crazy.

“I think they were worried he was going to throw himself off because the negotiator was called in and they had shields around her to protect her.”

A suspect was arrested at around 9.30pm and taken into custody.

The roof, windows and the inside of the property were badly damaged, and on Wednesday workmen were called out to begin repairs.

Detective Inspector Andy Smith, of Peterlee CID, said: “This was a very distressing incident for the residents of the area and I would like to reassure them that the people involved in this were known to each other.

“We are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident.”

• Any witnesses are asked to call 101 quoting incident 273 of April 11.