A petrol station in the West Midlands was evacuated yesterday after police were called to reports of a man acting suspiciously.

The Pedmore Road, which the BP petrol station in Lye is situated on, was shut for just under an hour from around 5.30pm.

West Midlands Police spokesman Billy Corrigan said: “We were called to the petrol station on reports a man was acting suspiciously. There was some concern that the man was on the petrol forecourt with a lighter.

“The petrol station was evacuated as a precaution. The man was arrested at 6.20pm.”

An eyewitness Foz Miah who works at the nearby Balti Bazaar restaurant, told local press: “We saw a lot of police cars coming down and blocking the road so we went out and saw a guy on the forecourt and he was holding the petrol pump and said he was going to blow it up. He was there for about 15 to 20 minutes.”