TWO men have been charged with causing a six-hour stand-off on a Bury rooftop.

Arran Mark Crossan, aged 23, of Manchester New Road, Middleton, and 20-year-old Bradley Smith, of Sailsbury Road, Eccles, have been charged with three counts of criminal damage and five counts of robbery.

Police said they were called to the scene of an aggravated burglary in School Street, Bury, at about 1.10am on Monday, in which five masked men threatened people in a house with machetes.

Shortly afterwards, police said they were then called to Valley Mill Lane in Bury after two men were seen kicking a door at a block of flats.

A about 2.30am police found two men on the roof of the four-storey building, throwing slates at the cars parked below.

The road was cordoned off and police negotiators, who were lifted up to roof level on a hydraulic platform by firefighters, spent hours talking to the two men.

When they came down at about 8.30am they were arrested.

A 32-year-old man who lives in the apartment block had £2,500 of damage caused to his new car after roof tiles smashed into the bodywork.

He said: “The men somehow broke into the stairwell of the flats and went up to the top floor, where they got onto the roof through the window.

“It started at about 2.30 in the morning. People saw them smash about 12 tiles on the roof and they were chucking tiles at cars – mine and one other were damaged.

“There were also two mobile phones smashed in the car park, which had been thrown down from the roof.

“The police eventually talked them down – they were up there for a long time.”

The fire engine’s platform was used again later the same morning to give police access to the roof to search for evidence.

Police are also appealing for witnesses to the robbery in School Street.

It is believed up to three raiders made off in a black Audi A5 S Line saloon, which was stolen from outside the house.

The car was found in Tower Street, Radcliffe at about 11am on Monday.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 8569592 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.