In pictures: St Paul's eviction

Corporation of London workers remove tents and other structures from the square in front of St Paul's Cathedral. Credit: PA

These protesters were among the most resistant to the police's attempts to clear the site:

At 11pm, an Occupy London Twitter account suggested than a police-led eviction was imminent.

At midnight, City of London Police confirmed their intentions.

Waste disposal teams removed tents, equipment and debris from the site.

Whilst the majority of campaigners left peacefully, a defiant core attached themselves to a makeshift wooden structure, proving more difficult for police to remove.

"These protesters are being left to last, it seems," says Dave Wyllie at St Paul's. Credit: Dave Wyllie

The atmosphere turned tense as those remaining protesters resisted police attention. Some threw cans and liquid at police and media.

Police then turned their attention to demonstrators left on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral.

Protestors now being cleared from steps of St Paul's Cathedral. Credit: Paul Brand

By just after 4am this morning, the area around the cathedral was clear of tents, equipment and protesters for the first time in five months. Roads were reopened to traffic shortly before 5am.

The front of St Pauls, clear for the first time in months from protestors. Credit: Darren Burn

This Christianity Uncut campaigner describes the moment police first moved in to the site: