Former MI5 agent’s secret weapons stash

Firearms and ammunition were found at a Twickenham house that belonged to Eileen Burgoyne.

On Tuesday, February 17, Grimwood road was evacuated as the police claim to have found the previous day ‘a quantity of firearms’ and ‘a quantity of ammunition’ People evacuated from their homes at around 11am.

The police said that there was nothing to indicate that the incident was terrorist-related. Consequently, the police did not arrest anyone.

Eileen Burgoyne lived at the property for more than 20 years before her death in 2014.

Ruth Arnold, who was among those who left their houses, said: "It was all very scary. They just knocked on the door and said we had to get out of the house."

"My husband is in a wheelchair so we had to get him in it and out of the house straight away."

The police corded off the area and removed the weapons for forensic analysis.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that they were called by some builders who were renovating the house at around noon. The police arrived shortly after and collected the firearms and ammunition.

Many of her neighbours believed she was a former spy, and that the guns may have been kept in the house as a form of protection during her retirement.

Richard Markell said "She [Ms Burgoyne] told my wife she was in MI5. I think it was quite well known that she was a spy. I imagine the guns would be connected with her, although she had a lodger who was there for a few years”

Another of Ms Burgoyne’s neighbours said: "I think she possibly was in the secret service during the war and there could have been some stuff left sitting in the loft."

A neighbour who did not wish to be named said: "She was a successful single lady, and I am told she was either a diplomat or in MI5. She was quite reclusive and bed-bound towards the end of her life".

 

Lucia Martinez-Botas. Gumley House Convent School