A CITY centre road was closed for more than an hour after a man took to the rooftops above it.

Police were called to the centre of Brighton following reports a man had used scaffolding to climb on to the roof of a building.

The incident began in Gardner Street at about 4.50pm on Saturday.

A Sussex Police spokesman said officers had been told the man appeared to be drunk.

He added: "He was walking along the roofs and threatening to throw tiles at people on the ground, leading the police to close the road for about an hour."

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were also called and the area sealed off as police tried to persuade the man to come down.

He eventually did so and was detained at about 6.35pm.

Police said there had been no risk to other people in the area during the incident.

  • Marshall Mathers, 42, unemployed, of Grand Parade, Brighton, has been charged with causing a public nuisance and criminal damage and will appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Monday (August 15).