A CORDON was set up in Bournemouth Triangle this morning following reports of an intruder in one of the shops.

Dorset Police were called to Marks and Spencer on Commercial Road at 5.20am, leading to the NPAS police helicopter also being launched.

A police spokesperson said: “It was reported that the man refused to leave the building and had to be spoken to by a trained negotiator.

“At around 7.25am, the man handed himself over to police. The  41-year-old of no fixed abode was then arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage and is currently assisting police with enquiries.”

The aerial ladder platform from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service was parked closed to the cordon. Officers could be seen carrying evidence bags. The cordon was lifted at around 10.10am.

Sue Bennett, newsagent, said she heard shouting in the early hours coming from the street.

She said firefighters and police officers turned up at around 9.40 this morning and were at the Triangle for around 30-40 minutes.

Firefighters scaled a building with the use of a ladder, she said, where they retrieved items she could not see in bags.

Passers-by stood and watched as the cordon was taken down shortly after 10am.