TV presenter says Barry George stalked her

TV presenter Kay Burley has gone to police with concerns about the self-confessed stalker Barry George, sources said today.

The Sky News anchorwoman contacted the Metropolitan Police this week amid fears that Barry George was taking too much interest in her.

Mr George visited the Sky News headquarters in west London last month to ask for a tape of the interview Ms Burley did with him after his acquittal in August.

And it was reported this week that he downloaded pictures of the presenter on to a laptop and smuggled the computer into the hostel where he has lived since being cleared of murdering Miss Dando.

Burley is off work after falling ill while presenting Afternoon Live With Kay Burley on Tuesday but will return soon.

It is unclear whether concerns about Mr George's behaviour were a factor in her sickness.

Mr George walked free from the Old Bailey on August 1 after a retrial cleared him of murdering Miss Dando, eight years after he was jailed for the crime.

But the second trial heard that he admitted following, approaching and photographing women.

During three weeks of police surveillance before his arrest Mr George was seen to go up to 38 women and try to make conversation with them.

Hundreds of photos of women, including other television personalities, were found at his home.

In an interview after his acquittal, Mr George said he could not have killed Miss Dando because he was following another woman at the time of the shooting in April 1999.

He also said of his history of stalking: "I know I have done wrong in the past and if I could go back in time and change that I would."

It is understood Burley was not at work when Mr George visited the Sky News studios last month, and he was turned away at the gatehouse.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "We can confirm we have received an allegation from a woman. We are not prepared to discuss the location or details of the complaint and inquiries continue."

Sky News declined to comment.

Many people from Sky News will attend the funeral today of the channel's much-loved former presenter, Bob Friend, but it is not known whether Burley will be among them.