A POLICE negotiator was called to a Gwent street after a man threatened to stab himself. The area around Vivian Street, Abertillery, was sealed off yesterday afternoon, as the householder said he would stab himself with a kitchen knife.

Police were called to the house on around 4.30pm after reports of an incident. Around 20 officers eventually surrounded the house - including uniformed police, detectives from Tredegar CID and police dog handlers.

An ambulance was on stand-by out of sight of the house, and a team of police officers in riot gear with shields were ready to storm the house.

The 22-year-old man spoke to police through his large living room window at his house on Vivian Street, and at one point he hurled an object through the window at officers gathered outside, but nobody was hurt.

Hill Street and a junction of Vivian Street were closed to traffic and passers-by for two hours.

Neighbours watching the drama said the man had recently moved into the street. A negotiator was called and after speaking to the man for more than an hour, persuaded him to give himself up voluntarily and unharmed at 7pm.

The man was taken to Blackwood police station for questioning. Inspector Jon Everett told the Argus: "The man was involved in a domestic incident with his partner elsewhere in Abertillery during the afternoon.

"As a result of that he came back to their home on Vivian Street and threatened to injure himself with a large kitchen knife.

"He blocked himself in and caused some damage to the inside of the property." A dog was also released from inside the house. Police said the animal was unharmed . Police said today the man was still in custody and was due to be interviewed.

The incident last night is the second Gwent siege related to a domestic incident in two days. On Tuesday night armed officers arrested a man and seized a gun after a siege on the Underwood estate, Newport.