An elderly couple had to be rescued from their North Queensland home after an intruder allegedly held them against their will.

Police spent almost an hour urging the intruder to come out of the house at Kirwan in Townsville before he gave himself up.

It’s alleged the man broke a window to get inside the couple’s home before arming himself with several knives and waking up the pair.

Neighbours heard the disturbance and reported it to police about 1am (AEST) on Sunday.

The 73-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man weren’t injured during the ordeal, police said.

However, the intruder cut his arms badly while coming through the window.

He will appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday provided he’s discharged from hospital.

The 43-year-old man, from the nearby suburb of Rasmussen, has been charged with two counts of deprivation of liberty, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence while armed.