COUNTER terrorism officers, ambulance and fire crews descended on an estate during an eight-hour stand off over concerns for the welfare of a man.

Armed police swarmed the area, eventually arresting Gary Fleat, from Totton, for assault.

But he says his life was “destroyed” by the incident, having now been cleared of wrong doing.

After being charged, carpenter Mr Fleat spent two months in prison in Winchester.

He was then released and had to wear an electronic tag for a further three months.

The 47-year-old says he cannot find any closure after the ordeal.

Mr Fleat said: “It’s put me further into depression.

“I’m on the brink of being homeless, I’m staying at a friend’s house and I’ve only got a month left there.

“It’s destroyed my life; it’s absolutely destroyed it.

“I want to clear my name.”

Mr Fleat had his charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm dropped at Winchester Crown Court after he was told no evidence was to be entered by the prosecution.

He was arrested in Florence Court, Andover, on the morning of Monday, August 21 last year.

Counter terrorist specialist firearms officers, dogs, ambulance and fire crews were called on the Sunday.

That day Mr Fleat said he went to bed as he had work early the next morning, while his wife went to bingo.

After she came home, he said they argued briefly before she left to stay overnight elsewhere.

Mr Fleat said he went back to sleep and woke up to see his phone flashing with a missed call from his wife.

He said: “I phoned my wife’s phone and the police [answered and] said to look outside your window.

“I see the whole place crawling with armed police, dogs and everything. Then they wouldn’t tell me why they were there.

“I’ve suffered depression for the last 20 years and I see everything there and it put me in a bad way. I just panicked and I had suicidal thoughts.”

Mr Fleat said he was eventually convinced to leave his home in the early hours of the Monday and was arrested for assaulting his partner.

The Crown Prosecution Service declined to comment, other than to confirm it did not submit any evidence.