Machete man shot with Taser gun

Armed police had tried to negotiate with him

A man, wielding a machete, was shot with a Taser gun after he threatened armed officers in County Durham, police said.

The 31-year-old brandished the blade at the officers while warning them to "keep away" in an area of Bishop Auckland on Wednesday morning.

Six of them had called at his home, in Leslie Street, to question him about a number of offences.

Insp Sue Robinson said police had been concerned about public safety.

After he was shot with the stun gun and apprehended, he was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill, assault and affray.

The man had tried to escape from the six officers who knocked on his door, and made off down Manor Road with the machete, just metres from St Helen Auckland Primary School.

Insp Robinson added: "We had tried to negotiate with him for a little while and engage with him as much as possible to resolve the incident."