Police arrest man with 'large axe' near Honiton

A man armed with a "large axe" has been arrested after attacking a police car in a rural village, a force said today.

The 49-year-old local man attacked a police dog unit vehicle after it was called to reports of a man armed with the weapon threatening two men in the village of Stockland, near Honiton, in east Devon, a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said.

Armed police were called to the incident, which started at around 6.25am today, and the man gave himself up and was arrested around an hour later on suspicion of attempted murder. No one was injured.

The police spokesman said: "The two men were walking along the road near to the Old Telephone Exchange when the incident took place but were able to get into their car and drive away from the scene.

"A police dog handler located the male between Stockland and Horns Hayes Farm but their police vehicle was attacked by the man with the axe, causing substantial damage to the windscreen."

The man is currently being questioned at a police station in Exeter.

PA