Staff flee Royal Norfolk Hotel in Bognor as police negotiate with machete-wielding man inside

Sussex Police received a report of a man in distress, who was in possession of a knife, at the Royal Norfolk Hotel at 9.30am.

Armed police were called to the scene, alongside more than 20 police officers manning a cordon that blocked the roads around the hotel.

A specialist negotiator was called in to assist.

Emanuel ‘Robert’ Vasilescu, 33, and a bar manager at the hotel, had started his shift at 8am when he spotted the man wielding a machete in the reception area. He said: 'He was standing in the reception with a big machete.

'It was 30 centimeters long.

'He said he wanted to protect the hotel.

'I got the manager and the man with the machete threatened him – (the man) said he would kill everyone in the hotel. He started to wave around the machete.’

After the manager called the police and they arrived on the scene, the pair were placed in a car and the hotel was evacuated.

Emanuel added: 'When the man was talking to me, he seemed really relaxed. I tired to avoid any confrontation.

'I had never seen him before.'

The incident was ongoing as of 4pm this afternoon.

Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw said: ‘I’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we continue to respond to this ongoing incident. Please continue to adhere to the government’s guidelines on social distancing, and avoid The Esplanade in particular.

‘Due to the nature of the incident, the public can expect to see a heightened police presence in the area.

‘This is an isolated incident contained to one property, and we have no information at this stage to suggest anyone else is inside, or that there is any threat to the wider community.’

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