A man staging a rooftop protest in Thanet was finally removed in the early hours of this morning.

The man had been filmed hurling tiles from the roof of the three-storey building, hitting cars and nearby windows.

He was arrested at 1.48am today and is now in custody. Police said he is 30 and from the Margate area.

VIDEO: The man throws tiles from the roof

He is being held on suspicion of public order offences, criminal damage and assault of a police officer.

Earlier, reports from the scene said he had a duvet, and a picture taken by KM Group photographer Chris Davey appeared to show an iPad in his right hand.

Officers had been in Northdown Road in Margate since the man climbed onto the roof of the three-storey building at 2.18am yesterday.

Resident Rory Howe and his pregnant wife were caught in the drama.

Mr Howe told KentOnline: "I sat with my pregnant wife at her parents as they live in Margate but want to get home to our own bed.

"It's incredibly frustrating. My wife has been awake from 2am when the incident started so is extremely tired."

A rest centre had been set up at Cliftonville Community Centre in St Paul's Road, for people who were unable to return to their homes.

Housing officers from Thanet council arranged to work a shift pattern at the centre, where they offered refreshments and advice.

Earlier, firefighters used a turntable ladder on a height vehicle to attempt to approach the man, who was on the roof of the Riz Restaurant building on the corner of Ethelbert Road.

A number of road closures were put in place, but have now been lifted.