A church in South Norwood was under police siege last week after a man with mental health problems walked on to the premises with a knife.

A vicar is thought to have locked the knifeman inside Holy Innocents Church on Selhurst Road last Tuesday night, October 3, before calling police at about 9pm.

Shocked residents watched as a fleet of police cars and vans surrounded the church and police eventually brought the man out.

No one was injured during the incident and the church is thought to have been empty. A 30-year-old man has since been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

A Croydon Guardian source described scenes outside the church as "eventful".

He said: "It was quite clear to me it was a very serious incident.

"There were plenty of police cars and vans outside the church. The man had a knife and said he was ready to use it.

"Apparently the reverend locked him in the church until the police arrived."

Residents of Selhurst Road who saw the incident unfold said the church siege was very dramatic.

One said: "We weren't entirely sure what was happening but there were so many police outside, we knew it was something serious.

"It all seemed very dramatic it was like there was some sort of riot - you just don't expect that sort of thing to happen in a church."

Reverend Nicola Coleman, vicar of Holy Innocents Church, was unavailable for comment as the Croydon Guardian went to press.

A spokesman for Croydon Police said: "At about 9pm on Tuesday, October 3, police were called to Holy Innocents Church, in Selhurst Road, South Norwood.

"Police arrived and a 30-year-old man was sectioned under the Mental Health Act."