Private Eye editor Ian Hislop was a passenger inside a taxi which was thought to have been shot at during rush hour.

The Have I Got News For You star, who lives in Sissinghurst, near Cranbrook, is said to have been in the back seat of the cab when it was believed the firearm was discharged.

According to reports, a bullet was thought to have hit the rear window just after 10am yesterday (October 1) as it was sitting in traffic in central London.

The incident took place in Dean Street, Westminster, near the junction with Oxford Street and close to the Private Eye's offices.

However, it is now understood that there is no evidence a firearm was discharged.

In a statement today (October 2), a spokesperson for the Met Police said initial indications suggest a mechanical fault may have caused the window to shatter.

The force is waiting for further tests to be conducted and has since seized the vehicle.

At the time, the taxi driver told detectives the car was at a standstill when he heard a noise that sounded like something striking the window, reports suggest.

No injuries were reported.

Mr Hislop has been the editor of the satirical magazine Private Eye since 1986 and is believed to have become one of the most sued men in English legal history.

KentOnline has contacted Private Eye for further information.