Britain's longest siege ends as burnt body is found inside Hackney flat

Britain's longest siege came to an end last night as the body of the gunman, who held police at bay in Hackney, east London for 15 days, was found in the burnt-out building.

After a day in which the 32-year-old man, Eli Hall, exchanged shots with armed officers and lit a fire inside the building, Scotland Yard confirmed that a burnt body had been spotted through a window.

While formal identification has yet to be made, Mr Hall's parents and brother have been informed, a spokesman said.

As night fell, two armed officers, using a ladder, made the discovery after throwing distraction grenades through a window and then shining a light inside.

"A body, thought to be that of Eli Hall, was seen lying near the back door on the first floor," a Scotland Yard spokesman said last night.

Positive identification can not be made until the the building, which suffered considerable damage in the fire, is deemed safe enough for officers to go in and retrieve the body.

Earlier in the day, officers fired baton rounds and CS gas into the house after it was set alight. While the gunman was believed to have died, Metropolitan Police Commander Bob Quick explained that officers initially held back from searching the building because of concerns about its structural instability.

There were also fears that Mr Hall, who has shown considerable stamina during the stand-off, despite being deprived of heating, lighting and food, might still be alive.

Mr Hall fired three shots at police shortly after 9.15am. An armed officer fired one shot in response. A blaze then started and police fired baton rounds at windows to allow access for hoses. But the fire continued to smoulder throughout the day. The last sign of movement from the man was at 10.50am.

The siege started after police were confronted by a gunman while investigating a car suspected of being used in an armed incident.