Overstrand church siege: leaders re-enter to assess damage

Members of the church community have been allowed back into St Martins Church in Cromer Road, Overstrand, on Sunday after police arrested a man in his 30s on Friday evening after a lengthy stand-off.

Police found a 12-inch machete and a flagpole that had been sharpened to resemble a spear.

Outside, graves had been damaged when the man drove over them in his car, before leaving the vehicle at the back of the church. 

READ MORE: Police incident at St Martins Church in Overstrand

Damaged graves and tyre tracks next to the church (Image: Jack Warren, Newsquest) Gary Mayes, who lives opposite the church, said: "I went over because my father's ashes are there and my wife was worried about the damage."

Inside the church a makeshift barricade, constructed from items within the building, was put against the back door of the church.

There were also empty plastic bottles and debris littered around. 

Graham Davison, who was warned of the incident while out on a run and believes he had seen the man beforehand, said: "The man looked quite frail, had his head and face covered, he had a massive dog with him.

READ MORE: Overstrand church siege man in our prayers, says reverend

Graham Davidson and his dog outside St Martins (Image: Jack Warren, Newsquest)"My friend warned me saying 'whatever you do don't run past the church.' 

"It was very surreal. I have lived here for 27 years and never seen anything like it. "

The man had had entered the medieval coastal church in what police described as a state of “mental distress” just before 4pm on Thursday afternoon.