A Scotland Yard investigation is underway after David Cameron's bodyguard reportedly left his gun in an aeroplane toilet.
The weapon, along with the former Prime Minister's passport and the specialist protection unit officer's passport, was found by a passenger in the cubicle of a British Airways flight from New York to Heathrow on Monday, according to reports.
The items were handed over to flight crew with the gun removed from the plane.
It's believed that the close-protection officer removed his holster while using the toilet - which was carrying a 9mm Glock 17 pistol.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: "We are aware of the incident on a flight into the UK on February 3 and the officer involved has since been removed from operational duties.
"We are taking this matter extremely seriously and an internal investigation is taking place."
As former PM for six years until July 2016, Mr Cameron is still entitled to continued security provided by the Met's Specialist Protection unit.
The Sun has quoted an unnamed passenger as saying: "We were waiting to take off when a guy started to show pictures on his phone of a gun and two passports.
"One was David Cameron’s – he said he found [it] in the toilet. They were just resting on the side by the sink. He was stunned by what he saw."
A British Airways spokeswoman said: "We follow CAA rules which allow UK police to carry firearms on board in specific, controlled circumstances.
"Our crew dealt with the issue quickly before departure and the flight continued as normal."
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here.
