ARMED police surrounded a North Yorkshire house for nearly six hours after a woman brandished a knife.

The long stand-off was allegedly sparked when police officers called at the house opposite the Rigid Paper factory in Denison Road, Selby, in relation to an "ongoing inquiry".

Inspector Alex Brandon, of York police, said the officers left when they saw the knife and a major police operation was launched involving more than a dozen officers, including trained negotiators, a police dog section and an armed response unit. The siege started at 3.45pm yesterday.

The road was sealed off while officers tried to talk the woman round and she eventually gave herself up peacefully at 9.17pm.

Insp Brandon said she was taken to Fulford police station where she was "helping police with their inquiries".

A neighbour, Dominique Butel, 28, watched the drama unfold from her lounge window.

"It has been going on all day," she told the Evening Press.

Insp Brandon said: "At 3.45pm North Yorkshire Police officers and social services attended an address in Denison Road with regards to an ongoing inquiry. Whilst there the occupant, a woman, was seen to be in possession of a knife in circumstances which gave the officers cause for concern.

"As a result of this both the officers and social workers left the address.

"A strategy of negotiation was then adopted and at 9.17pm a woman came out of the address without incident and was detained."

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, December 03, 2003