A TEENAGER forced police into a three-hour stand-off after refusing to come down from an electricity sub-station that was pumping 33,000 volts of electricity to Southampton homes.

Trained police negotiators were brought in to try and talk the youngster down from the top of the lethal electricity transformer early this morning.

Officers were called to the sub-station at Woodmill Lane and Wessex Lane in Swaythling at about 3.20am today.

They were responding to reports from a worried member of the public who had seen a young man on top of the 20ft station.

The youth had apparently climbed over the fencing to get into the compound and onto the station, which is responsible for supplying electricity to 6,000 homes in the area.

A spokesman for Hampshire police said the teenager had taken both his trainers off and was throwing missiles at passing cars on nearby roads.

"It seems that the youth was damaging the sub-station by pulling bits off and throwing them onto the street. At one point part of Woodmill Lane was closed to protect passing motorists."

The fear was the teenager could damage a cable that was transporting 33,000 volts of electricity through the sub-station.

Just before 6am officers managed to talk the youngster down from the sub-station and arrest him on suspicion of causing criminal damage and a public order offence.

The youth was taken into custody at Southampton Central police station where he was being questioned today.