Six-hour siege outside empty home

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Police spent six hours outside an empty house in Birmingham after reports a man was being held hostage at gunpoint.

Officers were called out to the house in Vicarage Road, Hockley, after neighbours reported a disturbance and said a gun had been seen.

Expert negotiators were also called out and the street sealed off, but it was discovered at about 2130 GMT that no-one was inside the house.

"We have to act on information given to us," said a police spokeswoman.

No-one has been arrested following the six-hour siege but inquiries were ongoing, she added.

It followed a dispute which West Midlands Police attended at the same house on Thursday involving the landlord and a tenant.