A journalist at the Evening Standard was assaulted this morning, when an aggrieved subject of one of the newspaper's diary items got up early to throw manure at him.

Sebastian Shakespeare, a writer on the Londoner's Diary, was attacked as he left to work at the newspaper, although the identity of the assailant, who is thought to be male, was not immediately being made known.

The attacker was described as somebody with a public profile, who went to the trouble of discovering Mr Shakespeare's West London address, and was lying in wait at around 7am this morning.

Although the attack was intended to be more than a prank, it is understood that the matter has been resolved amicably and the police are not involved. The unusual assault has rapidly become the talk of Fleet Street.

Mr Shakespeare declined to comment this morning.

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