Intruder prompts review of security at Downing Street

SECURITY at the British Prime Minister’s residence was under review last night after an intruder armed with a large kitchen knife managed to climb into a secure area outside Downing Street.

Police officers had to overpower and arrest the man after he scaled a six-foot high set of iron railings to the rear of the Whitehall address.

Tony Blair is understood to have been in at the time, but Scotland Yard insisted there was never any threat to his safety.

Detectives are satisfied there is no terrorist link to the incident.

However, it has prompted a review of security at Downing Street, which is home to both Mr Blair, his wife and family and British Chancellor Gordon Brown.

The alert began at 10.35pm on Sunday night when the 32-year-old intruder scaled the railings which divide Horseguards Road from Horseguards Parade at a point 100 yards away from the last house on Downing Street.

Police were alerted as soon as he dropped to the ground into what is known as the ‘L-shaped road’ to the rear of the prime minister’s residence.

The moment he landed, he was challenged by an officer from the Metropolitan Police’s Diplomatic Protection Group.

The intruder tried to lunge at the officer, but it is not thought that he wielded his knife during the brief struggle that followed.

He was pinned to the ground, handcuffed and arrested as other police officers arrived on the scene.

A large kitchen knife was found in his possession. It was quickly removed and will be forensically examined.

The intruder was arrested and taken to a central

London police station where he is being examined by a doctor to see if he is fit to be interviewed.