Man spent 16 hours up tree in 'protest over being deported'

A man in who stood in a tree for more than 16 hours has been detained under the mental health act after being rescued by firefighters.



The man had been in the tree in Leigh, Lancashire, since 8.40pm on Thursday and police negotiators spent 16 hours at the scene trying to persuade him to come down. Firefighters were  raised on a platform to enable them to get closer to the man to try and talk him down.

But the man refused to come down and began climbing higher in the tree to get away from them. At around 12.40pm, on Friday the man was helped into the aerial appliance and brought down safely.



Police officers said they had been concerned for the man’s welfare. Reports said the man was protesting about being deported but Greater Manchester Police could not confirm this.