A TWO-HOUR police siege ended peacefully after officers persuaded a man who had barricaded himself inside a house and threatened his mother with a kitchen knife to give himself up.

Police cordoned off the area around the house in Ingham Street, Padiham, just before midnight after reports that the 26-year-old man, who has not been named, had locked himself inside and threatened to harm himself and his mother.

She eventually managed to escape unharmed from the house and after further negotiations the man gave himself up. He was arrested and was in custody at Burnley police station today awaiting assessment by a doctor before being questioned. Inspector Paul Robinson said: "A man was threatening his mother with a kitchen knife and threatening to harm himself. The incident ended with no-one being hurt."

"The lady of the house managed to escape from the house leaving the man alone inside.

"After a period of time officers managed to talk to the man and persuaded him to surrender himself voluntarily. He was arrested at 1.40am today and is being held in custody.

"The woman was not physically harmed although she was shaken up by the incident which fortunately ended with no-one being hurt."

Inspector Robinson said although the area was secured during the siege there was no need to evacuate neighbouring properties.

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