Alert at Windsor Castle

Several locks are expected to be changed at Windsor Castle after three entry keys, and a policeman's uniform, were stolen from the car belonging to a Royal Protection Squad officer, writes Jason Bennetto.

A security review was set up yesterday at the castle in Berkshire, where the Queen spends most of her weekends, following the theft.

Parking passes and detailed information about events at the castle was also taken from the J-registered Ford Scorpio which was stolen from outside the officer's home a few miles away from the castle early on Thursday morning.

The keys open security gates at the Home Park entrances to the castle, which is itself protected by a sophisticated series of detection devices.

There have been a number of breaches of security at the castle in recent years, but precautions, including the deployment of armed officers, had already been stepped up following the end of the ceasefire.