80-year-old man detained after 12-hour stand-off at Halifax bank in Blackpool

Police said the man gave himself up at around 2am this morning (Tuesday, September 29) after 12 hours of negotiations with specialist officers at the Halifax bank in Church Street.

He has since been detained under the Mental Health Act and Lancashire Police said an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Police, including armed officers, surrounded the bank whilst firefighters and paramedics were kept on stand-by, as negotiations continued through the evening and into the early morning.

Lancashire Police said the man has not been injured and none of the bank staff or its customers have been harmed.

The force has also confirmed that no hostages were taken during the incident, despite a frenzy of speculation on social media suggesting that a Halifax worker had been doused in petrol.

Police were unable to say where the man is from, but did say that he remains in the care of health professionals this morning.

A police spokesman said: "The incident at the Halifax bank in Blackpool has now been brought to a safe conclusion.

"We were called at around 2.10pm yesterday afternoon (Monday) to reports a man on a mobility scooter had entered the bank before pouring petrol inside the building.

"The bank and nearby buildings were evacuated.

"Emergency services remained at the scene carrying out negotiations with the man and at around 2am he gave himself up.

"An 80-year-old man has since been detained under the Mental Health Act.

"A cordon will remain in place around the bank while investigators attend."

Emergency services flooded Church Street during the stand-off as a crowd watched the dramatic events unfold from behind a police cordon.

Nearby buildings were evacuated whilst engineers from Electricity North West and Cadent Gas were brought to the scene to switch off the gas supply to the bank and other buildings.

More to follow...