Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Sophie Doughty

Staff at Whitley Bay Library threatened by 'distressed' man who refused to leave

Staff at a Tyneside library have been threatened by a man who refused to leave the building.

Police were called to Whitley Bay Customer First Centre, on York Road, Whitley Bay, at around 11.50am on Wednesday.

Officers say a man "in a state of distress" was refusing to leave the building, which houses the library and North Tyneside Council's customer services staff."

Read more: "Something has to change now": The faces of tragic crime victims as new Stop Knives Taking Lives campaign launched

He is also reported to have threatened staff.

Whitley Bay Library, and Customer First Centre (Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “At about 11.50am officers received a report of a male in a state of distress in Whitley Bay Customer First Centre. It was reported that the man had made threats towards staff and was refusing to leave the premises.

“Officers attended the library and spoke to the man in question, who was offered appropriate advice.”

Eyewitnesses said they believed the library had been "evacuated" however, the Chronicle understands police did not order an evacuation.

Read next:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.