Urgent security review launched at Gatwick

AN urgent security review was launched yesterday at one of Britain's largest airports after a newspaper reporter claimed he was able to board a jet armed with a replica machine gun and pistol.

Just over a month after Britain was put in fear of a major terrorist attack when the army was drafted in to create a ring of steel around Heathrow Airport, the News of the World yesterday revealed that one of its investigators, reporter Rob Kellaway, gained access to the security zone of Gatwick Airport.

As Britain stands on the brink of war with Iraq, the newspaper claims that the reporter was able to get past guards by hiding in the back of a catering lorry supplying in-flight meals to planes at the Sussex airport on Thursday evening.

The journalist was aided by the driver of the vehicle, who reportedly agreed to help the investigation out of concern for lax security at the airport.

Responding to the claim, BAA Gatwick's managing director Roger Cato said: "We take the security of our airport and the safety of passengers and our staff extremely seriously.

"With the police we've launched an immediate investigation into claims that a News of the World reporter was helped to gain access to secure areas of the airport by a member of staff from an airline catering company.

"We will be considering with the Department for Transport whether, in the light of the newspaper's claims, there should be a further review of these procedures."

The newspaper claims that the driver picked the reporter up in a side street on his way from the depot where the pre-packed meals are loaded into the lorry.

After loading, he was supposed to secure the back door of his van with a plastic seal, but on this occasion he left the seal open which apparently went unnoticed at the depot.

The newspaper says the driver then picked up the reporter, who was carrying the replica machine gun and pistol in a bag, secured the plastic seal and then drove through the security barriers at the airport's Queens Gate entrance.

The driver was searched by security guards but they did not check inside the lorry, said the newspaper.

Once among the parked aircraft inside the secure cargo and freight area, the reporter and driver were able to step on board a 200-seat Monarch airlines aircraft standing open, but unattended.

The pair then reportedly explored the plane, looking for possible hiding places for weapons, entered the cockpit and sat in the captain's chair.

The driver photographed the reporter sitting in one of the passenger seats holding the fake metal M16 machine gun and replica Colt M1911 .45 calibre pistol.

They then wandered, unchallenged, outside the plane to a runway and watched planes taxiing and taking off, before returning to the truck and driving out unhindered just over an hour later.

The reporter, Rob Kellaway, told Sky News: "I was shocked... It's quite a realistic looking weapon; there's supposed to be a terrorist threat at airports and talk of rocket launchers being deployed against civilian airliners and yet we were able to get these two very realistic-looking weapons, made of metal, airside and onto a plane."

Mr Cato said the security of catering trucks is the responsibility of the catering company, who are bound by Department for Transport rules.

After the September 11 attacks this included heightened security checks on the contents of vehicles.

He said: "Under the Department for Transport regulations a special security seal is placed on the doors at the back of the truck and this is carefully checked by security staff before the vehicle is allowed airside."