EMERGENCY services swamped Bovey Tracey after a man allegedly made threats to set fire to himself at flats in the town centre last night (November 29).

The major incident, which saw families quit neighbouring Teign Housing flats in Priory, climaxed fours later when officers burst into the man’s home and made an arrest.

One witness at the scene likened the episode to something out of the Wild West.

Panic kicked off at 5.30pm after emergency services were alerted to reports that a man at the property had threatened to harm himself using a petrol-powered gardening tool.

The town’s Station Road car park was filled with emergency vehicles as officers tried to talk to the man who is thought to have had mental health issues.

Their efforts to bring the matter to a peaceful conclusion ended abruptly when they forced entry into the man’s flat.

A police spokesman said a 34-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and taken into police custody.

Residents have revealed problems they have experienced with one of the occupants at the property which houses four flats.

It’s understood their concerns have involved legal action.

Some 30 police, fire and ambulance officers gathered in the town to oversee the siege which ended just before 9pm. No one was hurt.

The police helicopter was seen to hover over the town as speculation mounted about the reasons for the robust response from the emergency services.

Altogether eight police cars, two police vans and a dog unit were on site as were a local fire crew and a trio of ambulance teams. Utility workers from gas and electric companies were also on standby for the duration of the tense stand-off.

Police dismissed reports that threats had been made to attack a gas main.

Youngsters at the town’s primary school in the next street were enjoying their festive school disco as the evening drama unfolded outside.

Parents took to social media to vent their concerns that the school in Abbey Road wasn’t evacuated.

One complained: ‘They didn’t evacuate the school though which was full of children!’

Another added: ‘School had its Xmas disco until 7pm. If I had known I would not have taken them.’

One witness said: ‘The Station Road car park was packed with emergency services. I’ve never seen so many police cars together at one time.’

He told the Mid-Devon Advertiser after the drama: ‘The incident was somewhere else in the town but I suppose they were using the car park as a sort of control centre.

‘As well as police there was a fire engine parked up and several ambulances. I saw so many ambulance staff with kit being unloaded from a large incident van.

‘I don’t know if they were expecting a lot of casualties, but if so, they were well prepared for it.’

He added: ‘It’s not the sort of thing you expect to see in Bovey Tracey. It was like something out of the Wild West.’

Karen Johnson, Teign Housing’s head of corporate services said: 'We are aware of last night’s incident at Priory in Bovey Tracey which involved one of our residents and was obviously very upsetting for local residents.'Our neighbourhood team were in contact with people affected last night and will continue to be in contact as the situation develops. We are also in contact with the local police and we are waiting for more information before we can decide on the next best course of action.'