A MAN who barricaded himself in his terraced home and threatened to burn down the row has been jailed for two years -- and told to change his pub.

Alun Evans had refused to let police into his Golborne home when they tried to arrest him on another matter.

Evans barricaded his doors and windows and was seen wielding an axe. At one stage Evans stood outside his home, shirtless, trying to goad police into fighting him. He had denied the offences but was convicted last month by a jury of threatening to destroy property.

The jury also convicted Evans of affray but returned a verdict of not guilty on assault charges.

The siege began when police tried to arrest Evans at his Golborne home. The prosecution claimed Evans threatened to douse police officers with petrol.

Police wanted to speak to Evans about three alleged assaults on the manager of the Sir Charles Napier pub who had barred him.

Evans kept the police at bay for several hours and was seen brandishing an axe at his bedroom window. He threatened to set fire to his house and take the whole street with him.

Residents were evacuated and the stand-off was only resolved when two specialist police TAG teams stormed the house and arrested Evans. Evans, aged 32, of Salisbury Street, Golborne, stood trial in January at Bolton Crown Court on six charges, including three counts of assault and occasioning actual bodily harm against pub manager John Hitchmoth.

Evans was also charged with affray, battery and threatening to destroy his house and putting people in fear that he would carry out his threat. He had denied all charges.

Sentencing Evans Judge Reginald Lockett said he had acted in a stupid and unnecessary manner and advised him to drink in another pub when he completed his sentence.