LONDON - Staff at a job center in Newcastle are being held by a man armed with a knife, BBC reported.

The armed man entered the premises on Clifford Street in Byker at about 08:00 BST. Several members of staff are thought to be held there, police said.

Police negotiators are at the scene and the roads around the premises have been closed as a precaution.

Northumbria Police said the man responsible was known to the job center and it was being treated as an isolated incident at this stage.