Police were in a standoff for more than nine hours with a man who clambered on to a roof in north London after reports of an assault.

A police helicopter had been circling the area, and officers and fire crews surrounded the house.

Witnesses described how they were woken up in the early hours of the morning to the sounds of the helicopter and police vehicles.

Officers were originally called to an address in Sutton Road, Muswell Hill, at around 11.30pm on Thursday.

Before they arrived the suspect had fled the scene, but police were called back at about 4.40am on Friday morning when he had returned.

When police arrived for the second time, they found a man on the roofs of nearby houses – where he still remained more than four hours later.

The game's up; you've woken everyone up; hand yourself in. #muswellhill pic.twitter.com/olJDGO0wuZ

— Jerome Walcott (@JeromeWalcott) May 5, 2017

Footage from the scene appears to show the suspect sitting on the roof of a house.

Pictures that emerged online show emergency services surrounding the area, with police shown in a neighbour's garden.

Man on roofs of Sutton Road outside my house. Allegedly on the run after police were called about domestic abuse #muswellhill pic.twitter.com/qCITuXe0Dq

— Escher Walcott (@escherwalcott) May 5, 2017

One witness, Jerome Walcott, wrote on Twitter: “The game’s up, you’ve woken everyone up, hand yourself in.”

“I don't know why the person is on the roof, but about an hour ago I saw the individual walking along the roofs of the houses, trying to hide behind a chimney.

"It didn't seem like he or she wanted to cooperate.”

“I don't know why the person is on the roof, but about an hour ago I saw the individual walking along the roofs of the houses, trying to hide behind a chimney.

"It didn't seem like he or she wanted to cooperate.”