ARMY troops will monitor the skies over London from the top of Epping civic offices tower throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Armed Forces 'air observers' set up an observation post on Friday (July 13) - and will remain posted on top of the tower for the next two months.

Personnel will remain on-site 24/7, monitoring restricted airspace in and around London throughout the Olympic and Paralympic games.

An Epping Forest District Council spokesman said: "As part of the Olympic Games 2012 security arrangements the council has agreed to allow the Ministry of Defence to use the top of the civic offices tower as an air observation post staffed by the Army.

"There are 15 other similar sites strategically placed around London which offer the best views of the airspace over London."

Troops will use thermal imaging binoculars and an Air Detection Alerting Device (ADAD) - a thermal imaging system that detects the heat given off by potentially hostile aircraft - but will not be armed.