OFFICERS from the Metropolitan Police's paedophile unit investigations team carried out a dawn swoop at a Southampton flat yesterday.

They seized a number of items from an undisclosed address of a Southampton City Council employee following a tip-off.

A Scotland Yard spokesman declined to reveal what had been taken away for examination following the raid, which was carried out with a search warrant.

He stressed the raid was not linked to Operation Ore, in which police have previously swooped on child porn site users using a 7,000-strong US database.

It is understood the man at the centre of the Southampton inquiry was present while officers carried out their search.

The police spokesman added: "No arrest was made, and inquiries are continuing."

A council spokesman said: "The City Council is aware that the Metropolitan Police is interviewing one of its employees."

Neither the police or the council would say where the raid took place, but it is understood it happened at one of the main council estates in the west of the city.

It was uncertain today what action, if any, the city council would be taking against the employee.