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A woman has died after falling from the Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Police and paramedics rushed to the popular tourist attraction in the City of London following reports that a visitor had plunged 30 metres to the floor of the cathedral.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene just after 10.30am on Wednesday, City of London Police said.

The death is not being treated as suspicious, a spokeswoman added.

A statement by St Paul’s Cathedral said staff rushed to help the woman immediately after the fall and added that both employees and tourists were "shocked" by the incident.

It read: “Although robust procedures for emergency situations are in place at St Paul’s and the response bore that out, it does not lessen the shock we feel as a close community, especially for those of us who witnessed and responded to this incident.

“We hold also in our thoughts those visitors within the Cathedral at the time.

“We think and pray especially at this time for the woman who died, and for all those who were close to her and who loved and cared for her.”

The Cathedral will remain closed for the rest of the day and an Annual National Service for Seafarers at 5pm has been cancelled.

It will open on Thursday for Morning Prayer at 7.30am, a spokeswoman said.

For confidential support on mental health call the Samaritans on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or attend a local Samaritans branch.