The annual Walk a Mile pilgrimage march, organised by the Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster) to raise awareness of child poverty, did not pass without incident this year.

Wednesday October 6 started with heavy rain. By the time more than 200 secondary school pupils from all over the Westminster diocese gathered near Tyburn at Hyde Park, the sun had come out.

Rosemary Keenan, head of the Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster), said: “Things were looking good. We then heard that there was a suspicious package within feet of our route at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, midway between Tyburn and the Cathedral.”