Fake bomb reached castle area
Fake bomb reached castle area
Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair has ordered an inquiry into
claims journalists drove a van carrying a fake bomb into Windsor
Castle's grounds.
The Sun said the van passed St George's Chapel, where the marriage of
Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles will be blessed this
Saturday.
The "apparent security breach" raised serious concern, Scotland Yard
said.
The report comes after it emerged that on Sunday two tourists scaled a
fence and entered a private castle area.
'Not searched'
Scotland Yard said Sir Ian wanted to establish the facts surrounding
the latest report in Thursday's Sun.
The newspaper claimed it breached the castle's £5m security barrier
with "breathtaking ease" and got to within a "stone's throw" of the
Queen's apartments.
One of its reporters and a photographer say they drove up in a hire
van with no security passes and no pre-arranged delivery time.
On board was a brown box marked "bomb" and the reporter says he had a
fake delivery note.
After an attempt to check up on them failed, they were allowed to
drive into the grounds - past the chapel where the royal couple will
be blessed - and they were not searched, the paper said.
Scotland Yard said in a statement: "It's only right the facts are
established before any action is taken against any person who may be
culpable."
A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said: "Security is a matter for
the police who have been asked to investigate."
Windsor Castle staff are already investigating how two men were able
to enter one of its private areas last weekend.
Scotland Yard said the tourists were detected immediately and taken
back to the public area but not arrested.
"The secure area of the castle was not breached at any stage", a
spokeswoman said.
