A suspected burglar is under police guard in hospital after jumping from a post office roof after a two-hour drama.

Police were called to the building in Jarrow, South Tyneside, when the alarms at the property activated,

When they arrived they found a man, in his late teens, on the roof of the post office.

It is believed the man, from Jarrow, had earlier been inside the building and had climbed on to the roof in a bid to escape detection.

After he refused to come down from the roof police called in a trained negotiator, who spent almost an hour talking to the man,

But in a final alleged attempt to flee the scene the man dived from one level of the roof to another and injured his back.

Firefighters had to use a ladder to reach the injured man and he is now under police guard at South Tyneside District Hospital where his condition is described as "comfortable".

Acting Inspector Dave Wright, of South Shields police, said yesterday: "His condition is not too serious but we've got two officers keeping him under guard.

"We have not been able to interview him yet in connection with the incident but we hope to do so later today, if he's well enough."