Man arrested by armed police

The man was taken away for questioning

Armed police have arrested a man after an 11-hour siege at a house in County Durham ended peacefully.

Officers were called to a house in Leadgate, Consett, after a woman was stabbed in the leg at about 0300 BST on Tuesday.

The house was surrounded by armed officers as police attempted to arrest a man, aged in his 30s.

Trained negotiators spoke to the man, and he left the house at 1330 BST.

'No violence'

Inspector Ian Proud of Durham Police said they had been particularly concerned for the safety of a teenage boy who had been in the house with him.

He told BBC Radio Newcastle: "We were prepared to wait for the man to come out... we are very pleased that there has been no violence whatsoever."

The stabbed woman - who has not been identified - was taken to a nearby hospital with non-serious injuries after the original incident.

A police spokesman said: "We were called to the council house in the early hours of Tuesday.

"A young woman was taken to University Hospital Durham with stab wounds to her legs."