Fathers fighting for equal rights over their children have climbed onto a roof at Buckingham Palace today, prompting ‘a major investigation’ into security there.

Bobby Smith, from Stevenage, and fellow New Fathers 4 Justice activists Martin Matthews and James Dennis have climbed onto the roof of the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace and there is a heavy presence of armed police on the ground.

The men have been on the roof since about 4.30pm this afternoon and, while Bobby was speaking to the Comet, a negotiating team was working to try to get them to come down.

Bobby has been campaigning for a change in family law after he says he has been treated unfairly by the courts and denied proper access to his two young daughters for four years.

The 33-year-old said: “It’s the royal family’s responsibility. I know some people may say it’s stupid and silly, but I’m in a desperate situation and people in a desperate situation do desperate things. Something has got to change.”

He added: “I’m sitting on a ridge. Police are trying to get to me. The negotiating team is here. We could literally walk over and go in one of the windows of the palace.

“We just parked up in a side road and walked past some police with a ladder and climbed up. Because there’s a building site over the road, they didn’t take any notice.

“As soon as I got up here I called the police and said where we are. Apparently there’s now going to be a major investigation into the security here. The Queen’s not at home, but what we’ve been able to do is not a good thing.”

In October, Bobby and Martin targeted the home of the leader of the House of Commons and climbed onto the roof of Chris Grayling’s constituency home in Ashtead.

Bobby also stood against David Cameron for the Witney seat in the general election this year.