A 51-year-old has been arrested after a five-hour stand-off with police in riot gear.

The incident, in West Park Crescent, Burgess Hill, began at 8am this morning when bailiffs went to a house to evict a man.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “The bailiffs arrived to serve the eviction order shortly after 8am. The man, had a knife and resisted attempts to remove him from the property, but for some time only verbal contact was made with him.

“Gas engineers attended the property to turn off the gas supply as a precaution.”

Officers surrounded the house and police dogs were called in.

Shortly after 1pm officers went into the house and there was what the force has described as a “brief struggle”.

He was arrested on suspicion of affray and marched out before being put in the back of a police van and taken away.

Superintendent Lawrence Hobbs said: "It was always our intention to resolve the matter and bring the incident to a safe and peaceful conclusion. We spoke to the man for some time and just after 1pm we were able to enter the house and secure him after a brief struggle."

He remains in custody this afternoon.