A man poured petrol around his flat and threatened to set light to himself.

Six flats in Porter Way, Clacton, were evacuated and the road closed off as trained police negotiators tried to talk to the man.

The incident began at 7.15pm yesterday (Monday) after a neighbour in the flats telephoned police, saying a man had shut himself in the flat and was threatening to set fire to himself by igniting petrol he had sprinkled around.

Trained negotiators tried to speak to the man through the door to try to talk him out of lighting the petrol.

After more than an hour they finally forced their way through the front door of the flat.

Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus were also on stand-by throughout the incident.

After the man left the flat, firefighters went in and opened windows and made sure the area was safe.

Worried neighbours stood outside during the incident until they were allowed back to their homes.

One resident said today the first thing she knew about the drama was when a neighbour knocked on her door and told her to get out.

She said: "We were worried about getting out alive really."

Another neighbour said she believed the man had lived in the flat with his girlfriend since Christmas.

She said: "People were more worried than anything."

Police were today (Tuesday) due to question a 31-year-old man about the incident.

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