Fathers' rights activists arrested after scaling roof at Buckingham Palace

Two men who climbed onto a roof at Buckingham Palace as part of a fathers' rights protest have been arrested.

After nearly eight hours on the roof, where they were seen waving banners, the men came down voluntarily, according to the police.

Martin Matthews, 48, and Bobby Smith, 33, used a ladder to breach security and scale the roof of the Queen's Gallery, a public art gallery at Buckingham Palace.

Another campaigner had caused a distraction outside the palace, a spokesman for the activists said.

The activists waved a banner which read: "I am Harry's dad".

A statement from groups New Fathers 4 Justice and Stop The War On Dads said they were behind the security breach.

The groups have called for equal rights for fathers in divorce and separation proceedings and reform of the family courts.

Police were called to the scene at 4.30pm. The incident ended at about 11pm, a police spokesman said.

At the time of the incident, one of the activists spoke to ITV News over the phone and said getting on to the roof had been "easy" and he could "have gone further" if he had wanted.

The Queen was not in residence at the time of the incident.