Six held after five-hour siege in which family were apparently held hostage

POLICE were questioning six people last night after a family was apparently held hostage in their Derry home for five hours.

The drama began around lunchtime when armed police surrounded the house at Duncreggan Road, believing a pregnant woman, her partner and a young girl were being held captive by two men, one of them armed.

It is believed the men may have been involved in a raid on a credit union in the city earlier.

The incident ended when two men and one woman left the house at Duncreggan Road at around 6pm and were arrested. Police said the four were accompanied by a child.

A police spokesman said two other men were discovered in a roof space in the house and were also arrested. A quantity of cash and a firearm were also recovered.

Another woman was also helping police with their enquiries.

“It is believed that the incident is connected to a robbery which occurred in the Pennyburn area of Derry earlier today, following which another male was arrested and a sum of cash recovered,” the spokesman said. Following the armed robbery at Pennyburn Credit Union police arrested the man after firing at a car which rammed two patrol cars.