A WOMAN was held hostage by a man with a blowtorch at a house in a six-hour stand-off with armed police that ended in the early hours of this morning (February 18).
Police say the man had made threats to harm the woman and set fire to the property when they were called to the incident in Hurlstone Road, South Norwood at 10pm last night.
Negotiators managed to talk the man down and he was arrested at 4.20am this morning.
Police say he will undergo a mental health assessment. The woman was uninjured.
A spokesman for the met said: "Police were called at approximately 10pm on Tuesday, 17 February to reports of a man holding a woman against her will at a residential address in Hurlstone Road, South Norwood.
"The man, who was in possession of a blowtorch, made threats to set fire to the property and harm the woman.
"Officers, including firearms officers, attended and engaged with the man.
"At approximately 4.20am on Wednesday, 18 February the man was arrested by officers. He will undergo a mental health assessment. The woman was not injured in the incident"
Fire crews from Norbury and Woodside were called to the scene as a contingency, though were not called into action.
