A man claiming to be a priest was allowed entry inside an army barracks near Windsor Castle by guards protecting the Queen.

The man, claiming to be a priest, was allowed inside the Coldstream Guards headquarters without showing any form of identification, in one of the most shocking security blunders in the UK in years.It has been understood that the man in question suffers from mental health issues.

He spent hours drinking with senior members of the Coldstream guard and then was invited to stay the night in the officers' mess.The Queen was not at Windsor Castle at the time of the security breach and was instead at the Sandringham Estate after both her Easter and birthday celebrations.A source informed the Sun: "This is just an extraordinary breach of security."

The guy turned up at the gate in the evening and said his name was Father Cruise and claimed to be a friend of the battalion's Padre Rev Matt Coles."He was invited in an offered something to eat in the Officer's Mess."Within a couple of hours, he was drinking with the officers in the bar and telling them stories of how he had served in Iraq."He was telling lots of tall stories and the lads were enjoying his banter and having a few drinks."

A spokesperson for the Army has commented that: "The Army takes this breach of security extremely seriously and it will be thoroughly investigated as a matter of priority."This incident is now part of an ongoing investigation, and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time."The intruder has been understood to be from the Windsor area. Currently he has not been arrested and a Thames Valley Police spokesman has stated that: "No further action was required."