A suicidal teenager was today (Tuesday) in police custody after barricading himself in his bedroom with a knife and block of wood twice in 24 hours.

The 15-year-old boy's mother first called police to the family's Basildon home late on Sunday.

Essex Police negotiators were called to the address and spent an hour speaking to the youngster through the bedroom door.

The officers at the scene narrowly escaped injury as the boy hurled furniture down the stairs at them.

The distressed teenager also made constant threats to kill himself before eventually giving up the knife and walking out of the room.

He was treated by ambulance staff after cutting his own arms with the knife but was not seriously injured.

Officers arrested the youth and took him to Basildon police station for questioning.

However, just hours after being released on police bail a second concerned call was made to Basildon police station from the boy's mother.

Officers were sent to the same address at 8pm on Monday.

Again the youngster had barricaded himself into the bedroom.

This time he was armed with a block of wood.

His mother was extremely concerned for his safety after learning her son had taken an unknown amount of sleeping tablets.

Sgt Steve Ditchburn, of Basildon police, said: "The boy was threatening both the police officers and himself again but the police negotiators were not needed.

"The teenager is now in police custody. He was seen by a doctor who has said he was not fit to be dealt with. He will be kept in overnight to sleep off the tablets he has taken."

The boy was due to be questioned further today.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.