A MAN had a three-hour stand-off with emergency services after refusing to climb down from the roof of a building.

Police officers, firefighters and ambulance workers were called to concerns for the welfare of a man "threatening to jump" off a roof in Mersea Road, Colchester shortly before 7pm yesterday.

When police arrived they found a man on the roof of a building who was refusing to come down.

A witness, who asked not to be named, said Mersea Road was closed due to someone threatening to jump off a roof.

He said: "He was shouting for ages."

Essex Fire and Rescue Service was called to the road at 7.10pm.

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Two crews and the aerial ladder platform from Colchester attended but no action was required and they left the scene at 9.22pm.

Specialist police officers engaged with the man into the evening and, thankfully, he agreed to come down from the building shortly after 10pm.

While encourgaing the man to come down, officers closed Mersea Road from the junction of Southway to Napier Road and set up a diversion for drivers.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "A 38-year-old man from Colchester has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

"He remains in custody for questioning."