A man has handcuffed himself to the gates of Buckingham Palace and threatened to harm himself.

Police said the man, believed to be in his 30s, approached the gates at around 5.23pm.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said officers were trying to speak to him to “bring the situation to a swift conclusion to ensure his safety and welfare”.

The London Ambulance Service is also at the scene.

Video shows the man, who was wearing a cap and sunglasses, with his left hand attached to the gates as officers speak to him from a distance.

In May, a man was also arrested after approaching the gates and allegedly throwing shotgun cartridges into the grounds.

He was later detained under the Mental Health Act.