A man barricaded himself inside a railway station office and warned police he was armed with weapons.

Canterbury East railway station was evacuated during the incident last night before police forced entry into the room where the man was holed up.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "Officers were called at 21:50 for reports of a male who had barricaded himself in an office at the station. Upon arrival of officers they found a very distressed male who refused to come out, stating he had weapons with him.

"We asked for the station to be closed to ensure the safety of the public and spoke with the male for a prolonged length of time.

"Unfortunately officers had to force entry to the office to safety detain the male under the mental health act. He is now currently in hospital.

"He is receiving the care he needs. We wish to thank all members of the public who left the station upon request and apologise to all that couldn’t get off at Canterbury East - your patience and understanding while police dealt with this matter is greatly appreciated."

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