Child hostage stand-off ends in man's death

AN ARMED man who reportedly abducted a child is dead following an early morning stand-off with police in a Highland town.

The 50-year-old man, who has not been named, took the child from the Highland town of Beauly to nearby Dingwall.

Northern Constabulary tracked him down to a house in the Ferry Road area of the town.

The gunamn released the child after several hours of negotiation with police before committing suicide just before dawn.

A police spokesman said: "Police responded to a 999 call from Beauly at 10pm on Tuesday, which reported a disturbance involving the abduction of a child by a man suspected to be in possession of a firearm, who had threatened self-harm.

"Police traced the man to the area of the Ferry Road in Dingwall and cordoned off the vicinity. Following negotiations, the safe release of the child hostage was secured around 1am today.

"In spite of further lengthy negotiations and police efforts to resolve the incident peacefully, the 50-year-old man took his own life at around 4.20am."