Police have arrested a man suspected of trying to steal a Magna Carta from its display at Salisbury Cathedral.
Alarms went off after the suspect smashed holes into the glass box which protects the valuable document on Thursday at about 17:00 BST.
The 45-year-old is being held on suspicion of attempted theft, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.
The Magna Carta has not been damaged and nobody was injured, police said.
The suspect had been taken to Melksham police station where he is being questioned.
The Magna Carta is a charter of rights agreed by King John of England in 1215. It is considered one of Britain’s most influential legal documents.
Only four original copies exist and Salisbury Cathedral is home to the best preserved version.
A spokeswoman for the cathedral said: “We can confirm that at the end of the afternoon yesterday, a man attempted to break into the case which houses Magna Carta in the Cathedral’s Chapter House.
“He was arrested by police shortly afterwards and taken into custody.
“We are very relieved that no one was hurt during the incident and that the Magna Carta itself is undamaged.
“We are very grateful to all who dealt with the situation so swiftly and effectively.”
She added that the Magna Carta would not be available to visitors but the cathedral aimed to have it back on display as soon as possible.
The Salisbury copy went on display in 2015 in the 13th-century Chapter House at the cathedral.
What is Magna Carta?
Magna Carta outlined basic rights with the principle that no one was above the law, including the king
It charted the right to a fair trial, and limits on taxation without representation
It inspired a number of other documents, including the US Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Only three clauses are still valid – the one guaranteeing the liberties of the English Church; the clause confirming the privileges of the city of London and other towns; and the clause that states that no free man shall be imprisoned without the lawful judgement of his equals
The British Library has two copies of the 1215 Magna Carta
Source: bbc.co.uk
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