Man on fire in Parliament Square

A man has suffered superficial burns after setting himself on fire in London's Parliament Square, police say.

The ambulance service was called at 1600 GMT to the area, which is opposite the Houses of Parliament and has been popular with demonstrators in the past.

The man was immediately taken to a hospital in south London.

It is not known if the man, who police say is 43, was a protester but the square has been the scene of ongoing protests against the war in Iraq.

A Met police spokesman later said: "The man suffered superficial burns. He is currently in hospital and is in a stable condition."

The man, who has not been identified, is expected to stay in hospital overnight.