Man with knife holds hostages at job centre in northeast England

London: A man armed with a knife is holding employees hostage at a job centre in Newcastle in northeast England, police said on Friday.

"Specialist negotiators are at the scene," Northumbria Police said in a statement, adding that there were no reports of injuries.

Police said student accommodation nearby had been evacuated and a metro station closed as a precaution. "Officers have attended and found a man armed with a knife had entered the premises and it is believed that several members of staff are being held there.

"It is believed the man responsible is known to the Job Centre and this is being treated as an isolated incident at this stage," police said.