Man threatens to set house on fire after barricading himself inside

A man barricaded himself inside a house in Hopton-on-Sea and threatened to set it alight if anyone entered, police said. The incident prompted evacuations and a lengthy emergency response, with negotiators seeking to resolve the situation.

Norfolk Police were called to the Coast Road property shortly after 11.30am on Wednesday, and the emergency services remained there nearly 12 hours later. The man said he had petrol containers inside; by about 9.30pm, most neighbours had returned, though two households remained displaced. Coast Road was still closed, and Hopton Primary Academy was due to stay shut on Thursday as a precaution.