Siege is in seventh day

About 50 armed officers have surrounded the flat

Police negotiators are continuing efforts to end one of London's longest running armed sieges.

Officers believe a man is being held against his will by another man at a flat in east London.

More than 50 residents have been forbidden from entering or leaving their homes since the seven-day siege began on Boxing Day.

Trained experts are negotiating using loudspeakers and a mobile phone.

It is very inconvenient - I cannot understand why it has taken the police so long to actually sort it out

Jean Lewis, resident

About 50 armed officers have had the property in Graham Road surrounded since shots were fired as police tried to remove a car for forensic tests.

The length of the siege has surpassed the six-day Iranian Embassy siege in London of 1980.

Police negotiators established a second man was in the house on Saturday, but only later decided he was being held against his will.

Superintendent John Bobin, of Hackney Borough Police, said: "These are very difficult and sensitive circumstances.

"We are trying to resolve this in the shortest time possible, but our overriding concern is for the safety of residents and other members of the community."

The gunman hauls up a food package by rope

A total of 16 residents have been given temporary accommodation while the siege continues.

A further 43 people have not been allowed out of their homes but have been given food and fuel, according to Hackney Council.

Mother-of-two Jean Lewis, 37, who lives within the cordoned-off area, said: "It is very inconvenient.

"I cannot understand why it has taken the police so long to actually sort it out."

'Scary' situation

Annie Freud, a 54-year-old artist, who lives near the scene, described the situation as very "scary".

"I have no complaints about what the police are doing at all.

"I think they are really taking care to help and protect us, but it has been very, very unpleasant."

The stand-off began on Boxing Day when police tried to tow away a car believed to be at the scene of a shooting in Leicester Square in the summer.

Longest siege

The gunman started shouting at them and when armed officers were called in to enter the flat they were shot at.

Trained negotiators have been communicating with the man by mobile phone and loudspeaker and deliveries of food have been made.

The longest siege was that of the Libyan Embassy in 1984 which lasted for 11 days.

It was sparked off by the killing of PC Yvonne Fletcher by machine-gune fire thought to have come from inside the building.