Man taken to hospital after eight-hour rooftop stand-off with police that saw retail park evacuated

Police say a man was taken to hospital for 'treatment and support' following an eight hour rooftop stand-off in Bolton.

It came after emergency services, including paramedics and the fire service, were called to a three storey apartment block near Turton Street on the outskirts of the town centre yesterday morning (Monday, December 16). Specialist negotiators in an aerial platform attempted to talk the man down while the nearby Bolton Gate Retail Park was evacuated.

The stand-off continued for more than eight hours, until the man eventually came down 'voluntarily' at around 7.40pm. In an update on Tuesday morning Greater Manchester Police said he was taken to hospital for 'treatment and support'.

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Initial reports suggested police were first called out to reports of a break-in, but it's unclear if any break-in occurred. A resident of Turton Street told the M.E.N he first noticed the police scene at around 2pm.

He said: "I didn’t know anything was happening as I was inside. I came out and the police were everywhere. Then I saw him on the roof."