POLICE cordoned off part of the High Street and Broadway in Sheerness today after a man started throwing glass and crockery from a flat above shops.

The drama started at about 10.30am when the man, believed to be an American, began shouting and hurling the items from the flat above the former New Look shop in Broadway, near the Clock Tower.

Passers-by called the police and at least seven police vehicles arrived with 12 officers who cordoned off the High Street and Broadway approaches to the scene.

Sgt Bob Smith said: “We have got a subject on the premises who escaped from a mental institution a week or so ago. As far as he knew, no one had been injured by the flying crockery and glass."

The incident was on-going early this afternoon and Sgt Smith said it was too early to say how police hoped to end the stand-off.