UK News 22-10-2001 Man In Underpants Ends M4 Siege With A Kiss who: Wiltshire police what: End 33 motorway siege peacefully as man in his underpants gives himself up where: SWINDON when: Yesterday snippet: "A father who spent two nights with his son under a police siege on the M4 gave himself up yesterday," reports The Times, "after stripping to his underpants to show that he was unarmed." Giving his two year-old son a kiss on the cheek, he handed the child over to a woman social worker and ended a siege which had closed down one of Britain`s busiest motorways for 33 hours. "The end to the siege, during which both carriageways of the motorway were closed for 17 miles since early on Saturday, came at 9.15am," reports The Telegraph, "as negotiations for the safe release of the boy and surrender of the gunman entered their second day." "The drama began at 7.30pm on Friday when police swooped on the Sea View Caravan park at Sennen, near Land`s End," reports The Mirror. The boy appears to be at the centre of a custody battle, and was illegally taken on holiday by his father, who was reportedly armed with a handgun. After a confrontation with police, they were pursued through Cornwall, Devon and Somerset before the caravenette ran out of petrol. June Brownridge, the owner of the caravan park, tells The Independent: "He seemed like a very nice and pleasant chap." [... more]

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