PASSENGERS were delayed for more than seven hours when an armed man climbed onto the roof of a train station.
 

Emergency negotiators were called to the Ipswich Station, with all power switched off, after the man got onto the roof at about 8.30am this morning.


A spokesman for the British Transport Police said: “Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident, and placed a ladder to allow the man to get down, which he refused.
 

“Officers also retrieved a retractable knife, which the man dropped.
 

“Police negotiators were called and spoke to the man for an extended period of time to encourage him to leave the roof safely, which would have allowed the station and lines to reopen more promptly.
 

“Specialist policing at heights officers were also deployed and, at 3.10pm, the 25-year-old man came down of his own accord via a ladder.”
 

Trains through Colchester were delayed throughout in both directions with hundreds of passengers inconvenienced.
 

Supt Matt Allingham, from BTP, said: “This was a difficult and deeply frustrating situation for officers, rail staff and all passengers and I’d like to thank everyone for their patience today.
 

“We were faced with a man in a precarious situation, some 30 feet from the ground, who did not want to come down.
 

“During the incident the safety of the man, and members of the public nearby, was of paramount concern for us.
 

“The man was walking around areas that could not have taken the weight of more than one person; if anyone had taken the wrong step, the consequences could have been far worse.
 

“Power in and around the station was also turned off to preserve the safety of the man and officers dealing with the incident.”
 

Greater Anglia provided water for delayed passengers and began an hourly service from about 4pm in both directions.