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A woman has been arrested by counter-terrorism police on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The 65-year-old had been working for the government and was detained after intelligence was received by police.

Scotland Yard said she was arrested at a property in north London under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

The woman is in custody at a south London police station and a north London address is being searched.

Police have not identified the government department she was working for as a contractor.

BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said the fact the woman is being held under Section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 means she is suspected of spying.

She is not thought to have been working for any of the intelligence agencies but the arrest is based on MI5 information, BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said.