POLICE were detaining a man on Monday (September 11) after a series of incidents near the home of 40 Commando Royal Marines, in Norton Fitzwarren.

The 41-year-old was arrested after a military truck smashed through a police car roadblock in Norton Fitzwarren on Sunday afternoon.

Police had been called to an undisclosed address in the village at about 4.40 pm where a man was reported to be making threats to the person inside and causing damage.

When officers arrived, the man drove off in a large military truck, hitting two police cars which were blocking the road and causing extensive damage to the vehicles.

He then drove the lorry six miles to the A361 bridge over the M5 motorway at Walford Cross, between Taunton and North Petherton.

The man left the lorry and climbed over the motorway bridge railings, causing police to close both the north and southbound carriageways.

He was arrested 25 minutes later without any injuries to anybody.

An Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesperson said: “He currently remains in police custody.

“Thankfully, no police officers or members of the public were hurt in the incident.”

The Royal Marines base is off the A358 Taunton to Williton road on the edge of Norton Fitzwarren.

The strike battalion is trained and held at high readiness for rapid worldwide deployment in the event of a range of crises in almost any environment, including mountain, jungle, and Arctic scenarios.