THE Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) confirmed it was investigating staff yesterday after the Traveller community discovered an secret online forum where officers allegedly exchanged racist views.

According to a spokesman for the London force, “concerns” were raised with the force’s professional standards directorate over comments made on a Facebook group.

Traveller community representatives contacted the police last month to say that they had found racist comments in a discussion about the BBC’s decision to clear former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson for the use of the word “pikey.”