Three arrested at the UK’s tallest building after climbers scale 1,016ft skyscraper the Shard

Video shows climber near top of the UK’s tallest building early on Sunday morning

Three men have been arrested after climbers scaled the Shard skyscraper in London early on Sunday morning.

A video posted to social media shortly before 6am shows a man near the top of the 1,016ft structure near London Bridge.

Police, firefighters and onlookers could be seen at the base of the structure, near London Bridge train station, as the climbers made their ascent to the top.

One witness at the scene, who recorded the footage, said two people climbed the building, which hosts a number of businesses and residential apartments.

Did you witness the climb? If so email matt.mathers@independent.co.uk

Holly Keogh, a TalkTV journalist who works inside the Shard, said one of the men managed to reach the top.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to reports of a climber at around 05.38.

Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire brigade all attended.

A number of cordons were put in place while emergency services responded to the incident.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of trespass. Two other men were both arrested on suspicion of causing public nuisance, the force said.

It is not the first time someone has attempted to climb the skyscraper - a target of ‘free climbers’, who scale buildings without using any harnesses.

George King-Thompson previously scaled the tower, as well as the Stratosphere Tower in Stratford (PA Wire)

George King-Thompson, 20, from Oxford, was put in a young offenders institution for climbing the Shard.

He reached the top of the structure in under an hour on 8 July 2019. He posted pictures of himself to social media once he reached the summit.

Mr King-Thompson also climbed London’s Stratosphere Tower in Stratford, east London.

He said he did so to raise awareness about climate change, saying the building overlooked Pudding Mill Lane Tube station which flooded in August 2021 following torrential downpours in the capital.