Boris Johnson mourns his lost summer house

The mayor of London accused LBC Radio's Nick Ferrari of "intruding in a private grief" as he batted away questions about what he had done with the structure.

"You wouldn't ask someone to say what they have done with the ashes of a deceased relative," he said.

Islington Council ordered Mr Johnson to remove the shed from his Grade II-listed house in north London after he failed to apply for planning permission.

The mayor, who has planning powers within London, made light of the episode when he was questioned about it this morning.

He said he was grateful to Islington Council for "the advice they gave", but went on: "I think there is a time when a chap should be allowed to mourn his shed.

"There is a lot of folklore about sheds and people get very attached to them."

Pressed for details about what he kept in it and where it had gone, he added: "I think this is becoming intrusive - it's foot-in-the-door journalism.

"It's a deceased shed. It's no longer with us."

He eventually disclosed that there had been nothing in the shed and that he had taken it down himself.