ARMED police and officers with riot shields surrounded a house today in a tense stand-off with a knifeman.

The armed siege was under way at a house in Duffryn, Newport, after the man threatened police officers with knives.

Two streets on the estate were sealed off and residents were told to stay inside their homes.

The siege began at around 4am today when police were called to a "domestic incident" in Cormorant Way.

By 7am, ten police vehicles were at the front of the house while negotiators tried to persuade the man, believed to be in his mid 30s, to give himself up. There were no other people in the building with him.

Resident Alex Booth, 19, said: "I first noticed something was going on at around 4am. Music was blasting down the street and when I looked out he was standing on the doorstep with two kitchen knives. "

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said she first knew something was going on at about 7.30am when police knocked on her back door.

"They were hopping over the fences and they told us we were not allowed to go outside. My son said he heard shouting in the early hours."

Inspector Rod Grindlay, of Alway police station, said that police were considering forced entry and the removal of the man.

He said he hoped the man would give himself up instead.

Armed police covered the rear of the premises while police blocked access to Cormorant Way. Then at around 7.50am they also blocked access on to nearby Duffryn Way.