Rotterdam’s central station was closed for around two hours on Friday afternoon after a ‘confused’ man threatened to blow himself up.

Train services to and from the station were cancelled and passengers ordered outside while police searched for the man and possible explosives.

The man was arrested and the station was opened to travellers again around 13.30.

Police said the man, who is 38 and comes from the port city, is known to them and that he is likely to be handed over to social workers after being questioned.

Last year both the police and mental health charities warned that the government’s policy of decentralising psychiatric services and encouraging ‘care in the community’ was leading to more incidents involving the mentally ill.