Armed police have been engaged in an hours long stand off with the occupant of a flat who was spotted brandishing a knife and yelling from a building in southeast London.

A stretch of Lewisham High Street has been closed by police between Lee High Road and Belmont Hill and the A2211 Rennell Street in Lewisham since Monday morning (February 10).

Pictures from the scene show emergency services personnel in the street below the building, with reports on social media of a hostage situation. Scotland Yard has said it believes the man is alone inside the flat. 

Another image shared online appears to show a man in a building over the road from Barclays and HSBC banks, leaning from a window and waving a knife.

There was no suggestion he has a gun, despite earlier reports. Express.co.uk reporter Adam Toms earlier overheard one officer telling a member of the public the individual may in fact have such a weapon.

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