A former councillor has barricaded himself in his home and doused himself in petrol to stop his eviction.

Maurice Kellett, who is believed to be armed with a sword, has been holding police and baliffs at bay, since yesterday afternoon.

The incident began when balliffs, accompanied by police, tried to serve an eviction notice on him at his house in Colliery Lane, Hetton Lyons, near Houghton-le-Spring.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said he threatened to harm himself if anyone tried to remove from the property.

Police are negotiating with Mr Kellett - the only person in the property - who was a Labour member of Hetton-le-Hole Town Council in the mid-1990s. He has been embroiled in a long-running property dispute with a neighbour which led to a county court judgement going against him - which he is appealing against. The area around the house has been cordoned off and paramedics and firefighters are standing by.