Two children 'searched by police'

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An inquiry has been launched after two children were allegedly stopped and searched by police under "terrorism legislation" in south London.

Two officers carried out a stop and search on a man, 43, his daughter, 11, and another child, six, near Woolwich Arsenal station, the man said.

The officers also took his mobile phones, USB stick and a CD, he added.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the "worrying" allegation.

The man said that during the search the plain clothes officers ordered him to stand in front of a CCTV camera to have his photograph taken.

They did not tell him when or how he could have his items returned, he added.

'Particularly worrying'

The IPCC is investigating the complaint with the Metropolitan Police Service's Directorate of Professional Standards.

IPCC Commissioner Mike Franklin said: "The use of Section 44 stop and search powers is a very sensitive issue and it is right that complaints of this nature are taken very seriously."

He added: "It is particularly worrying that two young children were allegedly searched in this way.

"This investigation will look at whether the use of these powers in this case was lawful, reasonable and correctly carried out."

The allegation comes after nine-year-old Jadan Shepherd was stopped and searched by police in Camberwell, south London, last month.

His mother Sandra Shepherd subsequently lodged a complaint, which is being investigated by the Directorate of Professional Standards.

More than 157,290 stop and searches were carried out in London last year, nearly triple the number carried out in 2007.

Stop and searches led to 1,200 arrests in the year to September 2008.