SIX people were arrested this afternoon after a rooftop siege in a North-East town centre.

Roof tiles were thrown at emergency service workers, including police, by young people who had climbed on top of a row of terraced houses in Bishop Auckland. near Asda.

Officers received reports of several people on a roof of a building in Railway Street at around 9am.

Damage was caused to a number of different homes during the incident and roof tiles were thrown at people who had been sent to the scene.

One woman, who does not want to be identified, said: "They had been drinking and were shouting and making a noise.

“They were demanding that someone go and get their mams.

“One of them shouted: ‘I am not coming down until me mam comes’.

"They had their tops off so they probably came down because they were so cold.

“It is sad and pathetic.”  

The Northern Echo:

Emergency services at the scene with the youths in the background 

Youths are throwing tiles in rooftop drama 

All six people, including three men, two teenage boys and one teenage girl, were arrested on suspicion of affray, criminal damage and shoplifting.

One of the group, a 20-year-old man, was also further arrested on suspicion of burglary.

All were under arrested by 3.30pm and were taken into police custody for questioning.

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “We would like to thank members of the community for their patience whilst we brought the incident to a safe conclusion.”