Ross told: Stop, in the name of law

THE SINGER Diana Ross was arrested and taken off a Concorde flight yesterday after claims of an assault by a female airport security guard.

Ms Ross, 55, who has had a string of hit records such as "Stop, in the name of love", first with The Supremes and then as a solo artist, was released after being questioned for five hours and cautioned by the police. She eventually left on a later flight.

The incident began after she had triggered a metal detector alarm at Terminal Four of Heathrow airport while on her way to catch a British Airways flight to New York. Ms Ross was frisked by the security guard and became angry, according to witnesses.

One security man who observed the altercation said: "She [Ms Ross] suddenly went mad. She was shouting and screaming that the girl had touched her breast. She then ran her hands up and down the woman's front and said `See, how do you like it?'

After touching the guard's breast she stormed off to the Concorde VIP lounge exclaiming " I am absolutely furious. Do you know when they search you they actually touch your breasts? She ran her hands all over my breasts. It's a disgrace."

Afterwards Ms Ross, dressed in black and wearing lilac boots and a large silver belt, boarded her flight. Police officers went on to the plane, questioned her for ten minutes, and then escorted her to a police van. The flight was delayed for half an hour.

A spokesman for Heathrow airport stated: "We are required by law to hand search any passenger who activates the metal detector alarms.''