ARMED police fired a baton round while trying to detain a man making serious threats against himself, officers and members of the public this morning.

Cleveland Police were called to the incident in the Redcar Road East area of South Bank, Middlesbrough, just after 10.35am today.

A spokesperson for the force said: "As is routine, necessary and proportionate when weapons are claimed to be involved, response officers were joined by armed response units and the dog section.

"A 49-year-old man was located in a street nearby at 11.10am and was detained following discharge of a baton."

Temporary Chief Supt Glen Gudgeon said: “This was a fast moving incident in which safety of the pubic and our officers as well as the suspect was paramount.

“The incident concluded with no members of the public or officers injured.

“The man arrested has been taken to James Cook University Hospital as a precautionary measure and, as is routine following the operational discharge of a baton round, our Professional Standards Department has been informed and a routine referral is being made to the IPCC.”

Any witnesses to the incident who have not yet spoken to police are requested to contact police on the non emergency number 101.