A MAN who has caused traffic chaos by his refusal to leave the roof of a community art gallery has finally ended his sit-in.

The man climbed on to the roof of the 491 Gallery, in Grove Green Road, Leytonstone, shortly before midday today.

He was now been persuaded by negotiators to come down from the roof and has been led away by police.

The man, who has recently been living in an adjacent building, had earlier played a saxophone on the roof.

A section of Grove Green Road was closed and so was the northbound section of the A12, causing travel misery for motorists.

Gillingham Football Club’s players were forced to wear Leyton Orient’s away shirt during their game at the O’s Brisbane Road ground as their kit was stuck in the gridlocked traffic.

The Guardian understands police were concerned about the man throwing missiles on to the A12 from the roof.

An ambulance and four fire engines were parked at Leytonstone Tube station on standby and the area was swarming with police vehicles and officers.

Earlier a spokesman for the gallery said: “The 491 Gallery is a community arts space maintained by volunteers and has been running local and national arts events for the last eight years.

“The volunteers of the 491 Gallery wish to make it explicitly clear that (the man) is in no way associated with this project and we are working with the police to resolve his deluded and attention seeking behaviour.”