Tara Palmer-Tomkinson Arrested At Heathrow

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson has blamed a panic attack for a meltdown at Heathrow Airport which led to her being arrested by armed officers.

The socialite was detained following her reaction to being refused access to a first-class lounge, The Sun said.

Video footage filmed by a witness showed her sobbing, swearing and tearing out her hair extensions during the incident on Saturday, the newspaper said.

Palmer-Tomkinson, who has battled drug problems in the past, was taken to a west London police station and accepted a caution under the Public Order Act.

Following her arrest, the former reality television star said a panic attack triggered her behaviour.

She said: "I wasn't drunk, there was no disorderly. I was cautioned, I saw a doctor, they were nice to me."

Palmer-Tomkinson has since flown to Switzerland, where she will celebrate her 43rd birthday, the paper said.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police at Heathrow Terminal 5 were made aware of disturbance in the forecourt of the building at approximately 3.30pm on Saturday, 20 December.

"Officers arrived at the scene and arrested a 42-year-old woman.

"She was taken to a west London police station and subsequently accepted a caution under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986."

In June Palmer-Tomkinson told Jeremy Kyle she had become a virtual recluse who barely left her house due to anxiety.

Last year, she was arrested at Zurich airport after a scanner picked up an image of a gun in her luggage. The apparent weapon turned out to be a pair of designer Chanel shoes with a high heel in the shape of a pistol.