A grieving mother is demanding answers from Norfolk Police after she was not contacted by officers during a 14 hour stand-off, which ended in the death of her eldest child.

Eastern Daily Press: Most recent and prefered picture of Kamal Nour. Norma Nour is anxious to find out why she was not contacted during the 14 hour siege in Queen's Hill that resulted in her son taking his own life. Photo: Steve AdamsMost recent and prefered picture of Kamal Nour. Norma Nour is anxious to find out why she was not contacted during the 14 hour siege in Queen's Hill that resulted in her son taking his own life. Photo: Steve Adams (Image: Archant)

Forty-year-old Kamal Nour was pronounced dead in Costessey last Thursday after he had barricaded himself into his home at Quarry Road, Queen's Hills, and threatened to harm himself.

His mother Norma spoke of her horror after she was only informed of the incident involving her son 19 hours after the stand-off started and more than five hours following the death of her son.

The 59-year-old, of Bressingham, near Diss, said she had been helping her son with his battle against depression for the last seven years and feels that Kamal's death could have been prevented if she had been made aware of the police stand-off and had been able to speak to him.

Mrs Nour added that the police were aware that her son was a risk to himself after she asked officers to knock down the door of the housing association-owned property in Queen's Hills in 2011 because of fears about his wellbeing.

Eastern Daily Press: Flashback: Emergency services at the incident in Quarry Road, Queen's Hills last Thursday. Photo: Bill SmithFlashback: Emergency services at the incident in Quarry Road, Queen's Hills last Thursday. Photo: Bill Smith (Image: Archant)

Police were called to the Costessey home at 6am last Thursday at the start of the stand-off, which involved specially trained officers, including police negotiators and medical advisors.

When they forced entry to the home at 8pm that day he was found injured inside and could not be resuscitated. An inquest, which opened and adjourned this week, heard that Mr Nour had hanged himself.

Mrs Nour, who was at home all day last Thursday caring for her mother, said the first she knew of the police incident and her son's death was at 1.30am last Friday when two police officers knocked on her front door.

The mother-of-six wants to know why she was not contacted by police during that 14 hour stand-off and why police forced their way in an hour after it went quiet in the property.

'It was a 14 hour cry for help and not one of those people thought to say 'where is mum or dad'? If we had spoken to him on his mobile, it would not have happened. It was a desperate cry for help and I was only an hour away.'

'They know that I have been there worried in the past and the police broke the door down to see him in 2011 because I was not able to get hold of him,' she said.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) because it resulted in the death of a person after police contact.

Mrs Nour said she was horrified when she saw a photograph of all the police cars outside her son's home. She added that the family liaison officers at Norfolk Police had been 'very caring' and a 'great comfort' when she had to identify Kamal's body on Sunday. However, she feels that they could have handled last Thursday's stand-off differently.

'I envisaged that scenario and I did my upmost over the last 24 months to prevent that and it fills me with horror that I was only an hour away and they did not come to get me. I have lived with this possibility for a long, long time and I have tried to prevent it,' she said.

'It was his birthday on Saturday August 9 and we went round there with a nice meal and kept knocking on the door. I bought some lottery tickets and put them in his card and one of them won £25 and on his last text on Tuesday he said 'you deserve that ticket mum'.'