A POLICE drama has unfolded at a Hampshire hospital.

Emergency services were called to the Southampton General Hospital to a rescue where a woman was on the roof of the building at around 9pm last night.

Witnesses told how numerous fire and police vehicles were gathered close to the hospital’s main entrance, which is currently being refurbished, this evening and the entrance was taped off stopping people entering or leaving through it.

Police confirmed they were called to a vulnerable woman on top of the building.

They said police negotiators were called in and she was safely talked off the roof.

The drama lasted around an hour and a half.

St Mary’s Fire Station tweeted that they had been called to a “rescue from height” at the hospital.

A crew from St Mary’s and another from Redbridge attended and the fire service said they could confirm they were dealing with "an incident".

No-one from the hospital was available for comment.

Stephen Draper, 53, of Woolston told how he had been visiting at the hospital and noticed the police presence but could not see what was going on.

He said: “There was a fire engine on the main road and there was one parked by the car park and there was a whole row of police cars, about five.

“From the front it was taped off so we went round the side [entrance].”

A man, who did not want to be named, said: “We were inside and we weren’t allowed out.

“The hospital front was barred off.

“I heard that somebody got up on the roof.”