Police reportedly had to split up a naked couple who were having sex in a park full of families - twice in the same evening.

One local councillor told the Standard the couple were visible from roads and bus stops surrounding George Green, Wanstead, and that "the sounds of sex" were "audible".

"The guy had his trousers around his ankles and the lady was underneath him," said Cllr Colin Cronin. "When she stood up she had to hop around to put her trousers on."

Cllr Cronin called the police and was allegedly asked: "How do you know they're having sex? Can you see what they're doing?"

When police arrived, the preoccupied couple didn't notice until officers were standing over them.

"There was some sort of discussion and the police walked back to their car and the couple walked to another part of the green. It didn't look like they were leaving."

Constituents later told him the pair had to be broken up a second time a short while later.

Sizzling Wanstead nights... Metropolitan Police have had to break up a couple in flagrante in the middle of George Green just now! — Colin B. Cronin (@CroninCc) May 12, 2015

"It's a park that's frequented by families and children," he said. "It's not in any way secluded - a main arterial route runs through it and it's adjacent to Wanstead Tube station."

He added: "I was shocked."

Another witness told the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian the couple were like "a full-on porn movie in Wanstead".

“Police walked up to the woman and she stood up with no knickers on and her cleavage hanging out," she said.

"I can’t believe they didn’t do more than tell them to leave.”

Cllr Cronin tweeted after the event: “Sizzling Wanstead nights... Metropolitan Police have had to break up a couple in flagrante in the middle of George Green just now!"

@MPSRedbridge Does that include lewd and outrageous behaviour in Wanstead last night about which police did nothing? @RedbridgeLive — Morris Hickey (@AnybodybutEvans) May 13, 2015

Former Tory councillor Morris Hickey said the police's failure to do more was “outrageous".

“What about those publicly shagging in Wanstead last night in presence of police who did nothing?” he tweeted at the Met’s MPS Redbridge account.

A Met spokeswoman declined to comment on the alleged police inaction, saying the investigation had not been completed.

She told the Standard: “Police were called to George Green, Wanstead, on Tuesday at about 7.20pm to reports of couple engaged in sexual activity.

“Officers spoke to the man and woman at the scene and they were asked to leave the area.

“Officers remained in the area for a time afterwards and conducted patrols. The local policing team is aware of the incident and will be making further enquiries and speaking to local people.”

Cllr Cronin said he would be asking for a meeting with the borough commander about Tuesday's incident.