POLICE have taken a man into custody after they believed he was 'violent' and may be armed with a baseball bat near Worcester Arena.

Sketchy details are emerging of an icident at 11.38am today during which a man was taken into police custody at Hylton Road near the Arena and the railway tracks in Worcester.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said initial reports were of 'a violent male with a baseball bat' although no baseball bat had been found.

She said: "He was taken into custody."

It is not clear yet what he was arrested for. The Worcester News will supply these details when we have them.

An eyewitness said he saw officers between the side of the University Arena and the railway tracks. He said: "I saw about four or five officers run around the front of the arena, down the service road. There were two marked police cars, a police van and an unmarked police car and they were travelling at speed. Officers were looking in undergrowth near the railway tracks. Then after a couple of minutes they all sped off."

Another witness said: "Some of the Arena staff came out to watch what was going on in amazement. Officers ran around the back of the Arena." He said towards the end of the incident there were six police cars and seven to eight police officers.

Those with information can contact West Mercia Police on 101. The incident reference is 0179s140814.