PTI
 
Rochester, Dec 1: A man claiming to be armed with a bomb took over one of US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's campaign offices for more than five hours before surrendering to police.

The man, believed to have a history of mental illness, walked into the New Hampshire office at around 2330 IST on Friday November 30, taking three women, a man and a baby hostage and reportedly demanding to speak to the former first lady.

Clinton, who was near Washington at the time of the incident, said after the drama ended that the tense standoff had been hard on her and her campaign.

It's been a very difficult day, personally and emotionally," Clinton told reporters, adding that she had been in touch with the families of those being held hostage throughout the day.

"I'm so grateful this day has ended well," said the former first lady, who was due to travel to New Hampshire to thank law enforcement officers.

A young woman initially raised the alarm after fleeing the building with her baby almost immediately after the hostage-taker entered Clinton's office.

Witness Lettie Tzizik told local television station she spoke to the woman shortly after she fled the building to a nearby shop.