A MAN brandishing a gun from a tower block window in Child's Hill “seemed a bit upset” this morning, according to a roofer working at the flats.

The man, who is believed to be 54-years-old, smashed a window on the 14th floor of the block of flats in Granville Point, Granville Road, before he was seen holding a firearm at around midday.

Darren Gray, who works for a roofing company and had been working on the man’s balcony this morning, said: “He was talking to us through the window about how long the work’s been going on.

“He put a bottle of Jack Daniels, a tin of spinach and a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale down and said ‘There’s a little present for ya’.

“We found it a little bit weird.”

At around midday the men left the tower block to have a cup of coffee, when suddenly the man smashed the window and was spotted holding a firearm.

Mr Gray said: “Apparently he’s lost his job recently. He seemed a little bit upset. But we’d spoken to him the day before about football and were having a crack.”

Around six police vehicles are at the scene.