Police are investigating after a flammable liquid was hurled at the Palace of Westminster on Guy Fawkes Night.

A 41-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson and remains in custody.

Metropolitan Police officers were approached by a female suspect just after 11.30pm on Tuesday.

She claimed to have thrown a lighted container of flammable liquid onto parliamentary property near to Queen Elizabeth Tower, which contains Britain's most famous clock Big Ben.

Scotland Yard said: "The item was recovered by officers and was seized for examination.

"The 41-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson and was taken to a west London police station where she remains at this time.

"There were no reported injuries and no damage to the building."

It comes as Bonfire-night related disorder has been seen in several cities around UK.

The incident took place 419 years after Fawkes plotted to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605.

Infamous criminal Fawkes, 35, was tortured and executed over the failed Gunpowder Plot.

He joined a group of fellow English Catholics, led by Robert Catesby, in an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in order to kill King James I and his Government.

Fawkes was responsible for lighting the fuse to the barrels of gunpowder which they hid under the Houses of Parliament.