Terror plans found on train

An inquiry has been launched by police after detailed plans for the evacuation of London in case of a terror strike were found on a train.

A CD containing government data was discovered in a carrier bag on the seat of a train between London and Gravesend, Kent, The Sun reported.

An Essex warehouse worker found the disc in a Tesco bag earlier this month. It was given to the newspaper which handed it in to the Metropolitan Police.

The sensitive plans were reportedly drawn up by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and senior Metropolitan Police officers.

Scotland Yard said the existence of such plans had already been known about and discussed publicly.

But the force said it treated any possible breach of security "extremely seriously" and had launched an internal inquiry.

The 68-page dossier was headed Operation Sassoon - Metropolitan Police Traffic Plan for the Mass Evacuation of London, and dated June 3 2004.

The newspaper quotes it as saying: "The type of scenario this plan is designed to address is one that is beyond that of a major incident.

"It may involve chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear contamination on such a large scale that significant areas of the capital need to be evacuated.