A man is hanging from a block of flats in Hampstead and threatening to jump as his family desperately appeal for him to move to safety.
A major incident is unfolding as police and family members try to persuade the man in 20s or 30s clinging perilously to a drainpipe on Palgrave House flats in Lawn Road not to jump.
The man, wearing a white hoodie, jeans and trainers, climbed out of a fifth floor flat window at about 2.10pm today.
He has been screaming “they are going to kill me” at police and is in a distressed state.
When he first climbed out of the window, witnesses described scenes of pandemonium as more than 10 police officers ran about on the ground beneath.
The man’s brother has been talking to him from the ground to try and calm the situation.
An ambulance crew and paramedics are also on scene at the corner of Lawn Road and Fleet Road.
A police cordon has been set up and Fleet Road has been closed.
A polling station at Fleet Primary School will remain open for voters in the Gospel Oak by-election, which is being held today.
But access will be via the school’s rear entrance in Agincourt Road as the main entrance in Fleet Road has been closed.
A number of bus routes have been affected by the road closure.
The 46 and C11 bus routes are on diversion and the 24 bus route is terminating at Morrisons supermarket in Chalk Farm Road, Chalk Farm.
* Click the picture gallery link at the top right hand side of the page for images from the scene
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