TV Tommy is held in Olympics alert

Ground Force star Tommy Walsh was held by Greek police for five hours when they suspected he was trying to expose security lapses at the Olympic stadium.

The TV builder was apprehended as he attempted to have his photo taken on the partly-built Athens site.

However, Walsh was merely researching an article about how the controversial construction was progressing.

He and a writer and photographer from Zoo magazine were detained a day after The Times revealed that a reporter spent two-and-a half hours walking around the site unchallenged. Walsh said he believed his group was detained so police could make an example of them and show security was tight.

The 47-year-old added: 'At first I thought it funny but they kept us there and I got a bit of a strop on. I asked if they wanted me to ring Tony Blair because he'd know who I was. In the end I laughed it off.'

As for the stadium, Walsh said he was optimistic it would be built on time.

He added: 'It's a bit like Ground Force when there's only a couple of hours left and it looks like chaos but we get there.'