A MAN woken by police during an early morning raid ended up sitting on the roof of a house for more than nine hours.

During the siege with officers, the man in his 30s, threw ridge tiles from the roof of the house in Springfield Avenue, Bacup.

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The incident erupted around 3am after officers attended the semi-detached property off Tong Lane.

But as they tried to arrest the man he climbed onto the roof.

Throughout the morning the man was understood to have moved between roof and a loft space, as negotiations with police developed.

Around half a dozen officers, including a police operational support vehicle, were stationed in Springfield Avenue during the morning and advice was sought from housing association officials.

Police confirmed officers withdrew from the scene, shortly after 12.30pm, and the man eventually came down from the roof.

The Lancashire Telegraph understands the man, who has still not been detained, was wanted on a motoring offence.

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Now a senior councillor has questioned how police failed to detain the man, who has not been named, after the extended episode.

A Lancashire police spokesman said: “We are still trying to locate him.”

An eyewitness said: “I just walked up with the dog and saw him throwing slates off the roof at the police.

“He eventually got bored and came down after he just sat there chilling.”

Cllr Peter Steen, who represents the Greensclough ward in the town, said: “From my experience as a prison officer, you don’t just leave someone on a roof.

“If he falls then there’s always going to be some ambulance-chasing lawyer.

“And then there’s what might happen to some unsuspecting member of the public, who may be injured.

“You can’t fail to staff these things but you shouldn’t just walk away.”