Police ascent wheel

At around 10.30am a police climber began a painstaking ascent up an abseiling rope from the hub of the wheel to the top, where the two protesters remained, sitting in a mountaineering-style bivouac tent.

At around 10.30am a police climber began a painstaking ascent up an abseiling rope from the hub of the wheel to the top, where the two protesters remained, sitting in a mountaineering-style bivouac tent.

A British Airways spokesman at the scene said the plan was that the protesters would follow police climbers down the rope to the centre of the wheel, where an engineering lift in one of the wheel's support columns would take them to the ground.

Jamie Bowden said that when the 10 protesters had broken into the site yesterday morning, only two security staff had been on duty, who were instructed not to tackle anybody but just to call the police, which they did.

He said: "When the wheel is open, security will be very different. We will use our experience in carrying millions of passengers a year safely, and will introduce what is likely to be airport-style security."

Superintendent David George of the Metropolitan Police said police negotiators had been in contact with the environmentalists, and negotiations for their return to the ground were well under way.

He said: "They are safe and well and have been all night. They have had breakfast and are not too cold."

He said it was "of paramount importance" that the protesters descend safely, and that they would not be forced down if they decided to continue their action.