Woman in gas-filled flat drama
She said her flat was filled with gas and she was holding a lighter.
Emergency services at the scene included a Green Goddess and its Royal Naval crew together with police with stab vests and riot shields. They were accompanied by an ambulance crew.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThey were subjected to a tirade of abuse from the first floor window of a property in London Road near the junction with Chepbourne Road.
They found the door blocked and the woman alone in the building except for a large dog which appeared at intervals at the windows.
Police kept on-lookers back as the woman screamed at them to go away.
The focus of the emergency shifted after officers shut off the gas supply.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLater Sergeant Dave Costigan said a woman of 21 had threatened to cut the throat of the dog that she was seen to have in the flat.
"She had a knife.
"She was thought to be intoxicated and under the influence of drugs.
He said the reason that it took 90 minutes was that there was a question initially that she might have had a child with her.
"A second consideration was that even though the gas had been cut off time had to be given for it to disperse to allow a safe entry."