Scotland Yard have reported that police are looking into photographs which appear to show celebrity chef Nigella Lawson being physically restrained by her husband Charles Saatchi.

The snapshots show art collector Saatchi with his hand around Lawson's neck as the pair sit on the terrace of upmarket restaurant Scott's in Mayfair.

It was reported that passers-by witnessed the incident but nobody intervened.

The photos were published by the Sunday People. 

Scotland Yard said it was aware of the pictures which were published in today's Sunday People, the Huffington Post reports, but that Lawson has not made any complaint to the police. There have been no arrests made. 

A spokesman said: "Inquiries are in hand to establish the facts of the incident... in order to assess whether an investigation is necessary."