A man has been arrested outside Buckingham Palace after allegedly throwing suspected shotgun cartridges inside the perimeter of the royal household, it emerged overnight.

Police threw up a cordon and carried out a controlled detonation of the missiles last evening (May 2) at around 7pm.

The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and no one was hurt.

The incident is not currently being treated as terror-related and reports suggested the suspect has mental health issues. The man was found to be carrying a knife, said police.

The BBC said overnight rehearsals for the Coronation on Saturday went ahead as planned.

Police say the man was searched and a knife was found but that he was not carrying a gun. They say he was also found to be in possession of a suspicious bag and that a controlled explosion was carried out as a precaution following an assessment by specialists.

Security minister Tom Tugendhat told Times Radio that he could not comment on the specific case but he told the BBC it was “a fantastic piece of policing”.

“As you saw last night, the police and security services are absolutely ready to intervene when necessary,” he told BBC Breakfast.

The King and the Queen Consort, resident at nearby Clarence House, – were not at Buckingham Palace at the time.

Chief Supt Joseph McDonald said: “Officers worked immediately to detain the man and he has been taken into police custody. There have been no reports of any shots fired, or any injuries to officers or members of the public.”

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