POLICE cordoned off an area of Weymouth’s Esplanade following reports of assaults on a number of women.

Three men were arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday.

A number of police cars were seen in the area as one of the men believed to be involved barricaded himself in a seafront property.

A police spokesman: “At 5.39am on Saturday, June 11 Dorset Police received a report of an assault on The Esplanade in Weymouth.

“It was reported that a man had assaulted a number of women.

“Officers attended but the alleged offender had gone into a nearby address in Bond Street and together with a number of other people and refused to come out. Police negotiators attended the scene to bring the incident to an end.

“The area of The Esplanade including Bond Street and New Street were cordoned off to allow officers to deal with the situation.”

Two workmen in the area, who did not wanted to be named, said: “It’s a horrible thing to hear.

There is never any excuse for something like this. I hope the women involved are okay.”

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s briefholder for community safety Francis Drake said the incident might be another example of trouble linked to “late night drinking”. However this is not known and the police are investigating the circumstances.

He said he was made aware of it because of the road closures that were put in place on Saturday morning.

Cllr Drake added that efforts were ongoing involving the council, police and licensed premises to tackle issues with crime in the early hours but unfortunately incidents such as this did still occur.

He said: “Licensees in this area do work on a voluntary code and don’t stay open as late as they could and the licensees, council and police are working together all the time but unfortunately it does have a drain on our resources when you have an episode like this.”

A 25-year-old man of no fixed abode has been arrested on suspicion of assault and using threatening behaviour and two 27-year-old Weymouth men have been arrested on suspicion of assault.

All three are helping officers with their enquiries.