A man threatening to gas himself was taken away by police yesterday evening.

Police and the fire brigade were called to the scene in Barnett Wood Lane, Ashtead, at about 9.30pm.

The man who could have set fire to the gas in the house was putting the people in the surrounding area in danger.

A firefighter, at Epsom fire station, said: “A man was threatening to gas himself.

“Police went in pinned him to the ground and arrested him.

“There was the potential for explosion. We got called and hid around the corner.”