Heron Tower and the surrounding areas near Liverpool Street were put into lockdown as a man dubbed the "French Spiderman" scaled the building earlier today (October 25).

Shocked and bemused onlookers were told to leave the area as emergency services cleared the area in central London.

Dan Marks, who filmed the footage, was on his way back from a meeting near the Gherkin when he realised there was a lot of commotion around the Heron Building.

Marks said: "Squinting in the rough direction of everyone's stares I caught sight of a tiny figure of white and black climbing the outside of the nearby building. "

He later added: "The crowd were generally good-natured and finding jokes to make, as Londoners always do when confronted with anything out of the ordinary."

My quick lunchtime meeting in the St Mary Axe coffee shop had finished and I was all ready to head off back to the office. Just time to check some emails. However I couldn't help but notice the traffic outside had come to a halt and there was a crowing crowd of people who looking on the same direction. I packed up my stuff and joined them. Squinting in the rough direction of everyone's stares I caught sight of a tiny figure of white and black climbing the outside of the nearby building. Moving slowly but methodically he climbed storey by storey, using the window frames to lever himself up. The police had quickly cordoned off an area around the base of Heron Tower. The crowd were generally good natured and finding jokes to make, as Londoners always do when confronted with anything out of the ordinary. Even the halted drivers seemed to be amused by the reason for their delay. It seemed to me quite surreal and detached as noone was taking about his safety. His name, apparently Alain Robert, was heard a few times as people checked social media. I took some photos and then walked off via Leadenhall to loop round to Liverpool Street Station. Every corner contained a small crowd peering at his progress up the building.